Fragments of Memories
by BehindTheWallOfSleep
Summary: This story is loosely based on the Japanese radio drama, "Nocturne of Recollection," which was a Castlevania radio drama based one year after "Symphony of the Night."
1. An Evening in Romania

**Author's Note:** Greetings, everyone! Well, for the first time in over eight years, I have decided to write a Castlevania story. I will also be doing so under my current pen-name, rather than my former one (Cody the Impaler). For this story, I will be using the original characters and themes from some of my former stories, which I will explain some elements of in this chapter. Also, much of the theme from this story still comes from the stories written long ago by Kitty (or Chameleon2). Those stories by Kitty can be found at the very end of the Castlevania page on this website (FanFiction)—that gives one an idea of just how long ago they were written.

For this particular story, I have decided to take elements from _Nocturne of Recollection_ , which was a Castlevania radio drama released only in Japan that took place one year after _Symphony of the Night_. Essentially, I want to take elements of that story, and add those elements into my own creation. I will also state that I try to follow history—something that Konami did not do—when it comes to the historical Dracula, as much as possible. As always, I do appreciate critical feedback.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter I**

In early February 1808, in the village of Warakiya, which is part of the Romanian Kingdom of Wallachia, the 35-year-old brown haired and brown eyed Father Richter Belmont returned his horse to a stable on the Belmont Estate. Throughout the day, the temperature had been cool but above freezing, as the Sun had melted the last of the previous snowfall. The sky was beginning to show the colors of dusk, when Richter entered his home. As he did so, Richter was greeted by his two-year-old daughter, Sidra.

"Daddy!" exclaimed the brown eyed and auburn haired toddler.

Richter smiled, and scooped up his daughter. But as he held Sidra close, his daughter said, "Oww!"

"'Oww'?" Richter said with a grin. "What's bothering you, my little girl?"

Sidra responded by patting Richter's face, or his beard, more specifically. "This hurts."

Richter turned to see his wife, the 32-year-old brown haired and brown eyed Annette. Annette chuckled in the doorway to the kitchen.

Richter returned to his daughter. "I'll be damned," he muttered, before he returned Sidra to the floor.

Out of her father's grasp, Sidra secured her pacifier, and toddled out of the room.

"I had to chuckle at Sidra," began Annette. "I sometimes wish that you'd shave that beard."

Richter sighed and sat on the sofa. "You know what the Church teaches regarding Holy Orders and beards?"

"Yes," responded Annette, while she took a place on the sofa next to Richter. "Wearing a beard follows the example of Christ."

"Correct."

"Why did you become a priest again?"

Richter chuckled. "I did so, because I thought—given what I was trained to do by my father—that it would be best to enter the seminary and become a priest. Why? Do you regret my decision?"

"Oh, no. It's just those beards. I mean, the Latin clergy don't wear beards."

"The Latin clergy don't do a number of things right. Just like the Marquis family."

The 'Marquis family' was a family of French origins, who lived in the village of Jova, and were a rival to the Belmont family. Like the Belmonts, the Marquis family identified themselves as vampire hunters, but a distinction between the two families had to do with their respected religions. The Belmont family was Orthodox, as were most Romanians; but the Marquis family was Catholic. And unlike other Romanian Catholics, the Marquis family followed the Latin liturgy, rather than one of the Eastern liturgies.

Annette smiled. "I just miss your clean-shaven face sometimes."

Richter grinned.

"By the way," continued Annette, "where's Riff?"

'Riff' was a reference to Richter and Annette's firstborn, the eight-year-old brown haired and brown eyed Christian Simon Belmont.

"He was over at the Tepeses, playing with Sander, when I happened to stop by to give Adrian that extra bottle of bitter herbs that we had, and that he wanted."

'Sander' was a reference to the firstborn son of Adrian and Maria Tepes, the five-year-old blonde haired and brown eyed Lysander Adrian Tepes. Besides being the son of Adrian and Maria, Lysander was also the nephew of Richter and Annette, and, therefore, the cousin of Christian and Sidra.

"In any case, he'll be home soon," continued Richter. "He just wanted to play with Sander, after he got done with school for the day."

Annette nodded. "Yes, he is very close to his little cousin."

Richter returned the nod. "That he is. In many respects, I think that Riff has almost adopted Lysander as a 'little brother,' so I suppose that he sees Sander more as a brother, than as a cousin."

Again, Annette nodded.

"You know, on that subject, I just thought of something."

"What's that?"

"A few days ago, I happened to witness Riff playing with some of his schoolmates, and Lysander came along and wanted to play too. Of course, the older boys didn't want to play with a 'little kid,' but Riff told them that if Sander doesn't get to play, then he won't play with them either."

Annette smiled. "That was sweet of him."

Richter returned the smile. "That it was. And the boys took Sander in, and let him play with them."

"That was nice."

Richter nodded. "I sometimes think that the bond they share is from the time at the castle…"

"I don't want to hear anything about that! That is a memory that I do not want to think about."

Again, Richter nodded. "I understand."

Annette returned the nod. "In any case, why did Adrian want that extra bottle of bitter herbs?"

"To try and get Cander to stop using his pacifier, and to stop sucking his thumb. Essentially, the same reason for why we're going to use them for Sidra." 'Cander' was a reference to Adrian and Maria's youngest son, the two-year-old blonde haired and green eyed Alcander Renard Tepes.

Again, Annette nodded. "Yes, it is about time. Sidra needs to be weaned off her pacifier, and from sucking her thumb."

"Lest it damage her teeth or mouth."

Once again, Annette nodded. "Very true."

"After that, we can get her out of diapers," Richter added with a smirk.

Annette grinned. "Somehow, I don't think that will be too hard. Sidra seems to show a desire to be out of diapers, so I don't think that she'll be too hard to potty train."

Richter nodded. "In any case, I saw something unique about your sister today."

"What's that? That Maria's still in her 20s? That her hair isn't showing any gray? That her waist still looks petite, despite having two kids?"

Richter laughed, drew Annette close, and kissed her cheek. "Did I step into a sibling rivalry or something? You know that you are quite beautiful; that your waist is quite petite, despite also having two kids; and if anyone should complain about 'grays in their hair,' it should be me at 35."

Annette smiled.

"But seriously, what I have noticed about Maria is something that I have noticed for quite a while."

"Which is?"

"I don't know exactly what it is, but it seems to be something in her that has been 'molded and shaped' by time. I noticed it long ago at the castle, and it has only grown after her marriage to Adrian and then the births of her two children."

"Perhaps it's three things," Annette said with a smirk. "Life, marriage, and motherhood."

Richter grinned.

"But seriously, I do remember my grandmother telling me that Maria was born under a 'strange star.' But what I don't know is what that 'strange star' refers to."

* * *

Later that evening, in the master room of the Tepes residence, Adrian Tepes briefly tossed his blonde hair, while his brown eyes adjusted the oil lamp. As the light dimmed, his wife, the 28-year-old blonde haired and green eyed Maria, entered the room.

"I take it that you checked on the boys?" asked Adrian.

"Yes, they're fine—both sleeping, in fact."

"Did you put those herbs on Cander's pacifier and thumb?"

"Yes."

"Good. We need to get him off of that pacifier, and to get him to stop sucking his thumb."

"Yes, dear, I know."

"I'm worried that either one will damage his teeth or his mouth."

"Yes, dear, I'm aware of those things as well."

"After that, you'll need to get him out of diapers."

Maria smirked, and sat on the bed. "Yes, of course, leave it to me to get him out of diapers."

Adrian returned the smirk.

Maria chuckled. "Of course, somehow I think that he'll be harder to potty train, than Sander was."

"Why is that?"

"Cander doesn't seem to show much desire to be out of diapers. I think that he would rather just run around in a diaper, and then have somebody come along and change them later."

"Well then, I think that you need to 'change that desire' in him."

Maria smirked, and mockingly said, "Yes, dear."

* * *

As the evening continued, a young teenager was on the road outside the village of Warakiya. Based on the direction that the young woman was taking, her destination appeared to be the village of Jova. The Moon was the only source of light for the young woman, and she raced home.

 _"I must get home soon,"_ she thought. _"Father will be mad at me, if I'm out any later."_

Soon the lamplights from Jova began to show, and the young woman began to relax. Although there was still a distance between her and Jova, the glow of the Moon and the village's lamplights began to reveal some of the young woman's features. She appeared to be about 14 years of age with blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Excuse me, miss," a male voice said in the shadows. "You shouldn't be out so late by yourself. I understand that there are thieves roaming these woods."

The young woman stopped, and turned to the direction of the voice. From the shadows, emerged a man, who appeared to be about 18 years of age, with brown eyes and hair that appeared to be almost 'silver.' The young man was certainly attractive, but his reference to 'thieves' frightened the young woman.

"Care for me to walk you the rest of the way home?" asked the man.

"No thanks," replied the young woman, as she began to walk away. "I'm fine."

The young man watched the young woman walk away—with her pace increasing—and he smirked. _"Such a pretty girl,"_ he thought. _"And such a pity."_

The young man began to follow the young woman, and even though there was quite a distance between them, he quickly caught up with her. The young woman gasped, as she saw that the young man's eyes had turned red, and that his canines had changed to those of a wild beast. The young woman had no chance to escape, as the young man bit into her throat. The young man had drained her of a considerable amount of blood, and only backed away, when he accidentally touched the cross that was around the young woman's neck.


	2. A Visit to Jova

**Author's Note** : I am sure that I had a specific name for the Belmont Chapel in my previous stories, but I cannot remember that name. Therefore, I decided to dedicate the chapel to the Virgin Mary.

 **Chapter II**

Around 10:30 the following morning, a man in his early 60s with a large gray beard and long hair visited the Belmont Estate. The man was a well-known Christian hermit, who lived in a cabin outside the town of Jova. Annette directed the man to the Belmont Chapel, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Richter was present in the chapel.

When the man entered the chapel, he found Richter dressed in his priestly vestments.

"Well, hello, Brother Martin," said Richter. "I just finished celebrating mass. What brings you here?"

"News, Father Belmont. News."

"Really? I hope this news consists that the Church has changed its policy for choosing bishops, and I have been elected," Richter said with a grin.

Brother Martin laughed.

Richter maintained his grin. "Somehow I take it that's not the case? Too bad, I was quite interested in 'shaking up' this diocese."

Brother Martin chuckled. "At least you have a good sense of humor, Richter."

Richter smiled. "Somehow I think that you have arrived, because your 'news' is not good?"

"Well, no. It's not."

"Do go on?"

"Are you aware of Alice Marquis?"

"…Of the Marquis clan, I'm sure. But, no, I don't know her personally."

"She's the young daughter of Charles Marquis. She was found dead this morning outside the town of Jova, due to exposure. Such a tragedy, she was a pretty young girl and only 14."

Richter nodded. "Indeed. I'll make sure to add her name in the prayers for the dead."

"There's more to it, Richter."

"More to it?"

Brother Martin nodded. "There were marks on her throat, and the marks are too close for one to suspect an animal bite. People in the village are already talking about vampires."

"Vampires?"

Again, Brother Martin nodded. "That's why I wanted to come to you. This is your field of expertise."

"It's also supposed to be the field of expertise in the Marquis family."

"True, but your family has a history of battling Dracula. I believe that you, yourself, are part of that history?"

"You know the answer to that question, Brother Martin."

Once again, Brother Martin nodded. "Indeed, I do."

"…I think that I'd like to visit the town of Jova. Do you know where the body was found?"

"Yes."

"Please take me there."

* * *

Richter, in his clerical dress, rode alongside Brother Martin on horseback. The two were just outside the village of Jova, when an object caught Richter's attention—a small white cross.

Richter gestured to the cross. "Somehow, a part of me guesses that this is where the body was found?"

"Yes. Someone must have placed the cross here later."

Richter and Brother Martin dismounted, and Richter observed the area.

"I'm unable to make a judgment based on what I'm seeing," said Richter. "I have heard before that thieves have been in these woods. Do you think that it could have been a robbery gone wrong?"

"If that was the case, then why all the talk about vampires? Saying that it was a robbery, would be much easier for the villagers."

Richter nodded.

"Besides, I haven't seen or heard anything about robbers, and my cabin is that way," Brother Martin added, while he gestured to an area in the woods.

Again, Richter nodded. "If anything, I'll go and pay a visit to Charles Marquis himself."

"Do you think that he'll receive you?"

"I'm certain that there are plenty of people offering their condolences. Even someone from a rival clan can do that."

* * *

The Marquis home was draped in black, but its door was open for visitors, who wished to pay their respects. As Richter entered the home, he encountered the middle-aged matriarch, Emma Marquis, who wore clothes of mourning.

"Hello, Mistress Marquis," said Richter.

"Father Belmont?"

Richter nodded. "Brother Martin, the hermit, visited me this morning, and told me what happened. I wanted to come by and offer my condolences. You will be in my prayers, and I will include your daughter's name in the liturgy, when I next celebrate mass."

"Thank you, Father Belmont."

"Is Master Marquis present?"

Emma nodded. "Yes, he is in the master room conversing with our pastor, Father Leo."

"Thank you, ma'am."

* * *

Before Richter entered the master room, he was able to overhear a conversation, which was taking place in that room. Richter was unable to grasp the context of the conversation, but some words that he did hear were "I find myself too old" and "Cyril."

When Richter entered the master room, he noticed Charles Marquis, the middle-age patriarch of the family. Next to Charles Marquis was a Latin priest. The conversation, which Richter overheard, was between Charles Marquis and the priest. However, when the two noticed Richter, they ceased their conversation.

"I do apologize, if I am interrupting something," said Richter.

Charles Marquis, though somber, forced himself to smile. "It's all right." Charles then turned to the priest and added, "Would you excuse us, Father?"

The Catholic priest nodded. "I will be in the chapel."

As the priest exited the room, Charles extended his hand to Richter, and Richter grasped it. "Thank you for coming, Belmont."

"I heard what had happened from Brother Martin, the hermit. I wanted to come, and offer my condolences."

Charles nodded, and gestured to a hallway. "Down the hallway, you'll find our chapel…That's where Alice is lying."

Richter returned the nod. "Thank you."

* * *

The Marquis chapel was dimly lit, but, arguably, its lack of light reflected the mood of the Marquis family. Near the chapel's entrance was a portrait of Joan of Arc, one of France's patron saints, while along the chapel's walls were the Stations of the Cross. In one of the pews near the altar sat the Marquis family's pastor, who prayed the rosary; and before the altar was the open casket.

Richter approached the casket, and observed its contents—a beautiful young woman permanently asleep prematurely with a rosary between her fingers. _"Such a tragedy,"_ thought Richter. Thinking of the vampire rumors, Richter observed the corpse for any sign of bite marks, particularly the throat. Unfortunately, the undertaker had placed a lace collar around the young woman's throat. So if the marks were there, Richter could not see them. A portion of Richter wanted to remove the collar, and inspect the throat; but considering the disrespect that would be to the Marquis family, and with the eyes of a priest nearby, Richter declined.

Instead, Richter sat in the pew next to the Catholic priest and muttered a prayer. Once the prayer was finished, Richter turned to the Catholic priest and said, "Excuse me, sir."

The priest ceased reciting the rosary and turned to Richter.

"I apologize for disturbing your prayers, but are you Father Leo?"

The priest was stunned. "I am Father Leo, but I am surprised that you know my name."

"Mistress Marquis mentioned your name to me, when I arrived at the home. I'm Richter Belmont."

Richter extended his hand, and Father Leo grasped it.

"I'm certainly aware of who you are, Father Belmont. I would say that most people in Wallachia are aware of who the Belmont family are."

Richter nodded. "I have a question for you, Father. And it's a question that I don't feel comfortable asking Charles about."

"What is it?"

"Are you aware of the gossip in the street, regarding Miss Marquis's death?"

"That it was a vampire attack? Yes, I've heard the rumors."

"What do you think?"

The priest turned to the floor, before he returned to Richter. "The undertaker placed a lace collar around Alice's neck, but I saw her neck without the collar. There are wounds on her throat. The wounds are too small to have been made by an animal, and they obviously were not made by an insect."

Richter turned to the open casket, before he returned to the priest. "What does Master Marquis think?"

"He's aware of them, but he's overcome with grief, honestly."

Richter nodded. "I understand, but has he said anything?"

"Not really. Cyril, however, now that's a different story."

"Cyril?"

"He's Charles's son. He's already looking into the situation. Cyril's a well-meaning young man, but he's also a bit of a 'hot-head.'"

"I take it that he sees himself as a vampire hunter?"

Father Leo chuckled. "That he does—a 16 year-old vampire hunter."

Richter smirked. "Well, I was that age at one time too."

Father Leo smiled. "He has a friend, who has been helping him."

"Who's that?"

"Alexis Bozek. He's the same age as Cyril, and another one of my parishioners. He comes from a Polish family, and I'd say that he's a bit more mature than Cyril."

Richter nodded. "I think that I would like to discuss this matter somewhat with my brother-in-law."

"Your brother-in-law is Adrian Tepes, correct?"

Again, Richter nodded.

"He's a descendent of Vlad Tepes—Dracula, correct?"

A part of Richter wanted to smirk at that question, but Adrian had been very firm with letting no one know, including his own children, that he was Dracula's son. "That is correct. On issues relating to vampires, I often turn to him for counsel."

Father Leo ran a finger along his rosary beads and said, "Even though you are rival clans, I think that Cyril could learn from your wisdom."

"Certainly, but based on what you have told me about him, I highly doubt that is going to happen anytime soon. In any case, Father Leo, I must go now."

As Richter prepared to leave the pew, Father Leo stopped him. "Father Belmont?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I wanted to thank you for your courtesy. So many of your co-religionists aren't always so kind to us Catholics."

"You're welcome, Father. I just hope that my kindness will have an effect on my co-religionists, who are living in Catholic countries."


	3. Reality or Illusion?

**Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter III**

Late in the afternoon, Adrian returned home from Warakiya's town square. In Adrian's hand was a newspaper. As Adrian prepared to sit in his chair, an object on the floor caught his attention—Alcander's pacifier. Adrian smirked, and in his thoughts added, _"Well, at least it's on the floor, and not in his mouth. Now, I hope that if I see him walk by, he won't be sucking on his thumb. It'll let me know that those bitter herbs are working."_

Once Adrian completed his thought, he opened the newspaper. "How stupid are the actions of some men," muttered Adrian, as he read the newspaper's contents. However, Adrian ceased reading the newspaper, due to a knock on his front door.

Adrian opened his front door to reveal his brother-in-law. "Well, hello, Belmont. What brings you here?"

"Counsel, Adrian. Counsel."

Adrian motioned Richter to enter, and once Richter was inside, Adrian closed the door. "The world needs counsel," Adrian said, as he secured the newspaper. "Based on what I've been reading, it sounds as though Russia is soon going to be at war with Sweden, and French troops are occupying the Papal States. You're a priest; you should be helping Europe's leaders."

Richter grinned. "Makes me wonder, if the 'high and mighty' in Europe would have any interest in listening to a 'humble priest'? It's funny that you mentioned what is going on in the Papal States, because I was talking to a Latin priest today. Of course, the nature of our conversation was not about the pope's problems."

"And what was the nature of your conversation?"

Richter turned to the door. "Could we talk about this outside? I would prefer not to discuss this manner with your children close by."

"It's cold outside, Belmont."

"…Then we'll make our way to the stable."

Adrian nodded. "Fair enough."

* * *

As Adrian and Richter walked toward the stable, Richter said, "There is a question that I have been thinking about this afternoon."

"What's that?"

"If someone was a vampire, while Dracula was present, and then Dracula was defeated, wouldn't that be the end to his or her vampirism?"

"…Not necessarily."

"How so?"

"Part of it depends on the individual. Some people embrace vampirism by their own choosing. Others are force into it. Essentially, it depends on the individual."

"In other words, it's a matter of freewill."

"That's a simple way of looking at it, but yes. Do understand one thing, Belmont. My father does not have to be around for vampirism to exist. There can be darkness within all individuals, and that darkness existed long before Vlad Tepes, and that darkness will continue to exist, regardless of whether or not there is a Dracula."

Richter nodded, while Adrian opened the door to the stable. But before Adrian could enter, Richter said, "Tepes?"

"Yes, Belmont?"

"This morning, Brother Martin, the hermit, came to visit me in my chapel."

Adrian nodded. "Yes?"

"He told me of an attack outside of Jova to the daughter of Charles Marquis…"

"That's a rival clan of yours, I believe," interjected Adrian. "In terms of vampire hunting and religion, I think."

Richter nodded. "That is correct. In any case, the girl ended up dying of exposure, but the villagers in Jova are muttering that it was a vampire attack. What do you think of that?"

"…I would first have to see signs of it. The human mind has a tendency to 'create illusions.'"

"I saw the girl in question."

"Her corpse, you mean?"

"Yes."

"And what did you see?"

Richter placed his hand on the stable wall. "Nothing. The supposed wounds were covered up with a lace collar by the undertaker."

"Then I suppose nothing more can be said," Adrian said, as he prepared to once again enter the stable.

"I talked to the family priest," Richter said, before Adrian entered the stable.

Adrian turned to Richter. "And?"

"He told me that beneath the collar there are wounds on the throat. The wounds, he said, were too small for an animal, and could not have been made by an insect."

"But you, yourself, did not see the wounds, correct?"

Richter nodded. "That is correct. It's not like I was going to remove the collar with the girl lying in her family's chapel."

Adrian rapped his fingers on the stable door. "Without any further evidence, there really isn't much more that I can say on this matter." Adrian paused to look at the sky, before he returned to Richter. "In any case, let us step into the stable. It's cold out here."

Richter nodded. Adrian entered the stable, and Richter followed.

"I really must clean this place sometime soon," said Adrian. "That might be a job for Sander and I to do."

Again, Richter nodded, but he soon gestured to a 'straw doll,' which hung from the rafters. "When I arrived here with my horse, I thought about this. What is with this 'straw doll'?"

"Oh, that. That's to train Sander. I want him to know how to use a sword. Plus, it gives him some exercise." Adrian placed his hand on a fence railing and smirked. "I'll do the same thing for Cander, if he can ever get out of diapers."

Richter laughed. "Have those herbs been working to get him off his pacifier and thumb?"

"So far, I haven't seen either one in his mouth."

* * *

Adrian dimmed the oil lamp in the master bedroom, as Maria entered. "How are the boys?" asked Adrian.

"Just fine—both sleeping."

"I didn't see Alcander either with his pacifier, or sucking on his thumb. Did he do so throughout the day?"

Maria chuckled. "He did so, until he got a taste of those herbs. Those herbs stopped him real quick."

Adrian laughed. "That's good. You can put his pacifier, where you keep a lot of Lysander's baby stuff. Now, how has the process been on getting Cander out of diapers?"

Maria gave Adrian a look. "I haven't started that yet, dear."

* * *

The clouds glowed, as they passed the Moon. In the Tepes home, the adults slept, and the children slept. But, occasionally, a nocturnal animal could awaken an adult or a child—and so could a bad dream.

In his bedroom, five-year-old Lysander slept with his arm around his stuffed toy bear, which he simply called 'Bear.' But 'taps' on his window forced Lysander to open his eyes. Lysander rubbed the 'sleep' out of his eyes, and turned to his bedroom window.

Outside of Lysander's bedroom window, a large bat flapped its wings. Lysander's eyes grew wide, and he gasped. But as he did so, the bat flew away.

* * *

As Lysander was having his encounter with the large bat, his younger brother had an encounter of his own. In his crib, two-year-old Alcander slept with his arm around a multi-stitched stuffed bear, which was made by his maternal grandmother, and which Alcander referred to as 'Patchy.'

From Alcander's bedroom window, however, a large shadow began to form. The shadow had wings, which flapped. Soon the shadow surpassed Alcander's crib, and the shadow began to chuckle.

The chuckle woke Alcander, who gasped at a large shadow over his crib. The toddler turned to see a dark haired man with wings and eyes that were almost pale outside his bedroom window.

The 'man' flashed a wicked grin, said "Boo!", and quickly flew away. But once the man was gone, Alcander screamed.

* * *

Alcander's scream quickly woke Maria, but Adrian continued to sleep. Maria sighed. "He can sleep through anything."

Maria removed her bedcovers and secured the oil lamp. With the lamp lit, Maria left the master bedroom.

* * *

Alcander continued to cry in his nursery, even when his mother arrived. Maria smiled, and placed the oil lamp on a nightstand. "What's the matter, sweetling? Did you have a bad dream?"

"Mom?" said an outside voice.

Maria turned to see Lysander holding Bear, while in his nightshirt. Maria smiled, but quickly grabbed Alcander to comfort him. "Yes, Sander?" Maria said, as she returned to Lysander.

"There was a large bat outside my window."

"A large bat? Well, maybe that's what woke Alcander."

Alcander, who had ceased crying, placed his head under his mother's chin.

Maria smiled, and kissed Alcander's cheek, before she returned to Lysander. "Sander, why don't you go into Mother and Father's bedroom, and tell your daddy what happened. Wake him up, if need be. I need to change your little brother, before I can join you."

* * *

When Lysander entered the master bedroom with Bear, he found his father in bed awake. Adrian smiled, and gestured for Lysander to join him. "Come here, Sander."

Lysander joined his father in bed, and Adrian drew him close. "Are you all right?" asked Adrian.

"I'm fine, but the large bat scared Cander. Or at least that's what Mom thinks."

"The large bat?"

Lysander nodded. "Yeah, there was a large bat outside my window. It woke me up, but then it flew away."

Adrian rapped his fingers on the mattress. Richter's words about the events at Jova made him wonder, if this 'large bat' was more than just a nocturnal animal.

However, Adrian did not have much time to wonder, as Maria returned to the master bedroom. In Maria's arms was a calm and tired Alcander, who held Patchy. Adrian smiled. "Well, there's the other member of our brood."

Maria yawned. "I don't know how you can sleep through a crying baby. You could with Lysander, and you still can with Alcander. Did Lysander wake you up?"

"Actually, no. When you lit the oil lamp, that woke me up."

Again, Maria yawned, and shook her head. Maria took her place on the bed, and held Alcander close. "I still can't believe it. But then again, I'm too tired to care. I brought Cander with me, because I'm too tired to rock him."

"Can I stay with you too, Mom?" asked a hopeful Lysander.

Maria smiled tiredly. "Yes, Sander, you can stay."

"Lysander told me that a large bat scared Alcander," said Adrian.

"Well, I think it was more than that. When I was changing his diaper, Cander was trying to tell me of, what I can only guess, was something of a shadow with wings." Once again, Maria yawned. "I think that Cander was having a bad dream, and that when he woke up, he saw the bat that Sander was talking about, and that scared him."

Maria rested her head on the pillow, and Adrian could tell that Maria would be asleep soon. Yet, the events that Richter discussed previously returned to Adrian.

 _"A bad dream and a nocturnal animal?"_ thought Adrian. The question was too much for him, as Adrian removed his bedcovers.

"Where are you going, Dad?" asked Lysander.

Adrian was stunned by his son's question. He thought Lysander was sleeping. "I have to check something, son."

"Can I come with you?"

Adrian shook his head. "No, you stay here with your mother and little brother. You watch over them."

Lysander nodded, as Adrian left the master bedroom.


	4. Reconsidering Earlier Events

**Author's Note:** Reading some of the ghost stories of M.R. James helped give me some strength to get over a potential writer's block. I hope that those of you reading enjoy this chapter.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter IV**

With a warm cloak over his night clothes, and with his maternal family's sword, Adrian exited his home. The temperature was normal for a February night in Romania—cold. But Adrian had to know, if what his sons had experienced, was more than a nocturnal animal or a bad dream. In the end, Adrian noticed nothing. But from a distance, two individuals noticed Adrian.

"I would almost think that if Alucard was looking for a prowler, he would use a firearm, rather than a sword," said a young man with brown eyes and hair that appeared to be almost 'silver.'

"He senses something," said an older man with dark hair and pale brown eyes. "If anything, he senses us. Alucard is the son of the master, don't forget that; but don't do anything that will give away our current location." The man paused to observe his hands, which appeared to be like the claws of an animal. "I don't want Alucard to discover our presence just yet."

The young man nodded, but he kept his focus and thoughts on Adrian.

The elder man chuckled. "Thinking about the past, Lyudmil?"

"Not so much the past, Magnus. I'm just thinking about what Alucard has become."

Magnus smirked. "Yes, the 'loving family man.' I saw the baby in the crib."

"Then, obviously, I saw the older child. Have you seen the woman that he's with?"

"Yes. She fits the description of the women Alucard use to feast upon." Magnus grinned. "With perhaps a little reminder about his past, Alucard may indeed feast upon her." Magnus maintained his grin and added, "Speaking of feasts, Lyudmil, I understand that you had quite a good one last night?"

Lyudmil chuckled, and displayed his fangs. "Yes, she was quite appetizing. She was the type of girl that Alucard and I used to feast upon, before he lost his mind."

The two continued to watch Adrian, who eventually returned to the front porch of his home. But before Adrian re-entered his home, his sword glowed in the Moonlight.

Lyudmil glared. "I can't believe it."

"What?"

"The sword Alucard was holding. That's the Romoff family sword. That's the sword of Lisa's family."

"Lisa…his mother…and now he uses that sword to defend those who took his mother's life."

"Such hypocrisy! Alucard truly has lost his mind."

Magnus smiled, and displayed his black wings, which he had previously hidden. "Perhaps, Alucard needs to be reminded of that hypocrisy."

* * *

The following morning was cold and gray. In the master room of the Tepes home, Adrian sat in his recliner and thought. Richter's words, and the events from last night, were still on Adrian's mind. As Adrian pondered, he would turn to the large window in the master room, and he would turn to his sons.

Lysander and Alcander played with their toys, and, to their parents' delight, they played harmoniously. When Maria entered the master room, Alcander beamed, and toddled over to a bookshelf. Lysander, however, became worried.

"Sander," began Maria, "it's time for your lessons." Lysander may have been too young for school, but Maria insisted that he learned some academia, appropriate for his age, out of a 'hornbook.'

"Mom!" whined Lysander.

"Lysander," Maria said calmly but firmly.

Adrian, who observed the scene between mother and son from his recliner, smirked.

Lysander sighed. "Why do I have to have lessons? Cander doesn't."

"Cander doesn't have to have lessons, because he's still too little. But he will soon enough."

 _"Along with getting out of diapers, I hope,"_ thought Adrian.

Again, Lysander sighed.

Maria grinned. "Of course, you don't have to do them today."

Lysander beamed.

"But," continued Maria, who maintained her grin, "if you don't do them today, then you're not going to get to play with Riff, when he comes home from school today."

At his mother's words, Lysander returned to his melancholy state and sighed. "Fine."

Maria smiled, and ran some fingers through his hair. "That's a good boy."

"Mommy!" interjected Alcander.

Maria turned to her youngest and smiled. "Yes, Cander?"

Alcander held a storybook that Maria had often read to her children. "Would you wread to me?"

Maria maintained her smile, and kissed Alcander's forehead. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but I can't right now. But I'm sure that your daddy can." Maria turned to Adrian and added, "Won't you, Adrian?"

Adrian smiled. "Of course."

Maria kept her smile, scooped up Alcander, and deposited him—along with the storybook—on Adrian's lap. Adrian secured the storybook from his youngest and asked, "What kind of book is this?"

"It's a book of fairy tales and legends," responded Maria. "However, there is one story that I ask you not to read."

"Which one is that?"

"'The Fortress of Poinarii.'"

Adrian's eyes became wide at the word 'Poinarii,' which was another name for Castle Dracula.

Maria nodded. "Yes, it's a story about their paternal grandfather. The boys don't need to learn about such things right now."

Adrian returned the nod. "Indeed."

* * *

While Maria took Lysander to his bedroom to begin his lessons, Adrian placed Alcander more comfortably on his lap. "I'll tell you what, Cander. I'm going to open this book at random, and whatever story that we land upon, that will be story that I will read to you. How does that sound?"

"Yeah," Alcander replied with a smile, while he patted the storybook.

Adrian chuckled, re-adjusted Alcander on his lap, and opened the storybook. Ironically, Adrian opened the storybook to the legend of 'The Fortress of Poinarii.' However, Adrian quickly turned the storybook back two pages. "Ah, here's a story, Cander. Let's go to the beginning of it."

The story that Adrian read to Alcander was titled 'The Slippers of the Twelve Princesses.' But as Adrian read the story, he could not stop thinking about the events from last night, or from the fact that he randomly opened a storybook to one of the legends about his father.

* * *

At the Belmont Estate, Richter Belmont, dressed in his 'work clothes,' lit a barrel in the middle of his stable, as he began the 'menial job' of cleaning his stable. Richter, however, was not at work for long, when the stable door opened.

"Greetings, Belmont," said Adrian.

"Tepes?!" said Richter, while he held a shovel full of manure. "What brings you here?"

Adrian smirked. "Well, it's not to watch you shovel shit."

Richter laughed.

And Adrian chuckled. "In any case, I was wondering, if you could take me to the area outside of Jova, where the young girl was found?"

"Why is that?" replied Richter, while he continued his task of cleaning the stable. "Yesterday, you said that there really wasn't anything to investigate."

Adrian rapped his fingers on a fence rail. "Well, some events from last night and today made me change my mind."

"What events are those?"

"Last night, Sander woke-up to see a large bat outside his window."

"Well, there are things called nocturnal animals."

"Around the same time, Cander told Maria that he saw a 'shadow man' with wings."

"Young children tend to imagine things."

"…This morning, I opened a storybook of fairy tales and legends. And when I did so, I opened the book to the story of 'The Fortress of Poinarii,' which is a story about my father."

Richter ceased cleaning his stable, and turned to Adrian. "You really are reading too much into something minor."

Adrian grinned, and once again rapped his fingers on the fence rail. "You sound like me from yesterday."

"And yet each point that I made was realistic, correct?"

"Well, yes."

Richter nodded, and went back to work.

"As I mentioned earlier, would you be willing to take me to the location where the girl's body was found?"

"Well, I would, if I could, but I can't."

"You can't? Why can't you?"

Richter paused, and gestured to the contents of his stable. "I've got to clean this stable. It's long overdue. I'd have Riff help me, but he's at school. And I can't exactly have Annette or Sidra help me."

Richter returned to work, before Adrian said, "What if I help you?"

Again, Richter ceased working. "Huh?"

"Yes, I'll help you. With the two of us, we can be done in about an hour."

"You're going to help me wearing those clothes?" Richter said with a gesture.

Adrian, who was nicely dressed, responded, "No. I'll go home and change."

* * *

Two hours later, and with a change of clothes, Richter and Adrian were in the forest outside the village of Jova. "So this is where the incident took place?" asked Adrian, as he observed the white cross.

"Well, this is where the body was found," replied Richter, who was dressed as an Orthodox cleric. "I don't know, if the attack took place here or not."

Adrian nodded.

"In any case, do you sense anything?"

Before Adrian could respond, a voice interjected, "What do you think you're doing?"

Richter and Adrian turned to the voice, which belonged to a male teenager, who appeared to be about 16 years of age with blonde hair and blue eyes. Next to the teenager was another man of about the same age with brown hair and green eyes.

"Well, it looks as though we are observing a cross," replied Richter. "A marker, if you will."

"You have no business here."

"Why is that? It is our duty as humans to show respect for those who have passed on."

"You could have shown respect at the funeral mass today. This is a family affair. You don't need to be involved."

Richter ran a finger over his medallion, which contained an image of Christ the Sufferer. "By your statement, I take it that you are a relative of Alice Marquis."

The young man nodded. "I am her older brother, Cyril Marquis. And I know who you are, Richter Belmont. We, the Marquis family, are skilled vampire hunters. We do not need any help from the Belmont clan."

"So, it was a vampire that attacked your little sister?" Richter asked with an inquiring eye.

"As I said before, this is a family affair. We do not need help from a Belmont, especially from some schismatic priest."

The phrase 'schismatic priest' took Richter aback, and it stunned the other young man. "Cyril," began the other man, "you do not need to talk like that."

"We are of the same faith, Alexis," said Cyril. "Those in the Orthodox Church are in schism with the Bishop of Rome."

"Um, excuse me," began Adrian, who had been silent, "but I am neither a Belmont nor a schismatic priest. Perhaps you would be willing to tell me about the vampire that attacked your sister?"

"I don't know who you are, sir, but since I consider you to be with the Belmont clan, the answer is 'no.' Like I said, this is a family affair, and I will only ask for the assistance of those whom I wish."

Adrian nodded. "Oh, I understand the whole family affair. The only problem is I don't like the way that you talked to my brother-in-law…"

"So you are part of the Belmont clan?!"

"In that sense, I suppose so; and since you talked to Father Richter Belmont, in the manner that you did, I am personally going to become involved in the manner regarding your sister, just to spite you."

"I'll spite you!" Cyril said, while he unsheathed a sword.

"Cyril," began Alexis, as he placed a hand on Cyril's shoulder, "I don't think this is a good idea."

Adrian smirked, and unsheathed his family's sword. "You know, it has been a while, since I have cut someone to pieces with this sword. I suppose that getting married and having children has changed my temperament. But since I find you annoying, I say come at me."

Cyril maintained a stern face, but he was hesitant.

Adrian kept his smirk. "What are you afraid of, young man? I'm 'old.' I haven't used this sword in a long time. I'm obviously out of practice."

Cyril maintained his look, even as his hands and legs shook. Briefly, Cyril turned to the sky.

"Wanting to view the sky one last time?" inquired Adrian.

"No," glared Cyril. "But the position of the Sun tells me that this duel is cancelled."

"Convenient excuse," muttered Adrian.

Cyril, who overheard Adrian's remark, continued to glare, as he left the scene to re-enter the village of Jova. "Another time, gentlemen."

Alexis followed Cyril, but he also turned to Adrian and Richter and muttered "sorry."

"I'm surprised by you, Belmont," Adrian said, as he returned his sword to its sheath. "You're a man who defeated Dracula, and yet you were so calm with an arrogant teenager."

Richter smirked. "Perhaps becoming a priest and a family man has changed me. But you were lucky, Tepes."

"What do you mean 'lucky'?!"

"What if the man was armed?"

"Excuse me? But he was armed!"

Richter shook his head. "No, no. I don't mean with a sword; I mean with a firearm."

"Oh? Well, in that case, I would have cut off his hand, before he had a chance to use it."

Richter laughed.

But Adrian showed him a look. "You doubt me?"

Richter chuckled. "No, no. It's just that…"

Before Richter could continue his sentence, Adrian quickly unsheathed his sword, leapt, and sliced off a tree branch. Richter was stunned.

"You were saying?" Adrian asked with a smirk.

"…I was saying that I think that the Marquis boy was right. The Sun is beginning to set. We should be returning home."

Adrian continued to smirk, and in his thoughts added, _"How convenient."_


	5. A Forgotten Friend

**Author's Note** : Greetings, everyone! When I was working on a rough draft for this chapter, I realized how long it was becoming. Therefore, what I have decided to do is create two chapters into what was previously one. As always, please feel free to give me critical reviews; but if you do so, please actually review the story, and not give me a Christian apocalyptic sermon.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter V**

Twilight had started to set in, as Adrian and Richter were in the forest outside of the Village of Warakyia. As the village was being 'lit up' by the lamplighter, a gust of wind blew by.

"Damn, that's cold," said Richter.

"What did you expect?" added Adrian. "It's February."

"You know what I think of, when I feel a gust of wind like that?"

"What's that?"

"Snow."

Adrian laughed. "I hope that's not the case. I have something that I want to do tomorrow."

"Which is?"

"Clean my stable."

Richter laughed.

Adrian smiled. "Well, it's true; it needs to be done. I'm thinking of having Sander help me."

"Do you think that Sander will be a good worker?"

"Well, if he decides not to help me, then he'll have to be doing lessons with Maria—which he's not very fond of, by the way."

Again, Richter laughed.

As the lights from Warakyia became stronger, Adrian and Richter noticed two teenagers—male and female. Although the distance between Adrian, Richter, and the teenagers was significant, Adrian and Richter could tell that the female teenager appeared agitated.

"Excuse me, sir," began the female teenager, "but I have already told you that I do not need you to walk me into the village. I am more than capable of taking care of myself. I am not some 'damsel in distress.' And, quite frankly, you are starting to annoy me!"

"Hey," began Richter, "isn't that Vasile's granddaughter?"

Adrian took a closer look at the young woman. "I can't tell for certain. But she's got that fiery red hair, just like Lindsea."

The male teenager, with hair that was almost 'silver,' did not appear bothered by the woman's rejection. "I love your spirit. It's captured in your red hair. It's what makes you so appetizing."

The young man grabbed the young woman's arm, and attempted to pull her close to him. In response, the young woman attempted to slap the young man in the face, and tried to pull herself away. Eventually, she screamed.

"Come, Adrian!" said Richter.

Richter and Adrian charged to the scene. The young man, noticing Richter and Adrian, pushed the young woman to the earth and fled into the forest. However, before the young man did so, his brown eyes met Adrian's brown eyes. Adrian was stunned.

"Are you all right, miss?" Richter said, as he stood over the young woman.

The gasping young woman turned to Richter.

When Richter noticed the young woman's hazel eyes, he gasped. "Lindsea?! Adrian and I thought that it might have been you. Thank God we were close by!"

Richter helped Lindsea to her feet.

Lindsea, still gasping, said, "Thank you, Father Belmont. Thank you, Master Tepes."

"What happened?" asked Richter.

"I was walking through the forest, as I often do, when I encountered that man."

"Who was he?"

"He didn't give a name, but he said that he was a journeyman from the Village of Borgo."

Adrian, who had been staring in the direction of where the young man fled, gasped quietly at the reference to 'Borgo.'

"The Village of Borgo?" said Richter. "That's along the Borgo Pass, quite a distance from here. What else did he tell you?"

"He asked me what I was doing alone in the forest. I told him that I often like to walk alone in the forest. And he told me that he should accompany me, because 'it is unsafe for a woman to walk in the forest alone.'"

Lindsea glared. "I hate, when people tell me that. I am not some 'damsel in distress.' But in any case, he followed me, and that's when I told him that he annoyed me."

"And that's when he attacked you?"

Lindsea nodded, and turned to the location where the man had fled. "Father Belmont?"

"Yes?"

"I…I don't think that man was human."

Richter looked at Lindsea intensely. "What do you mean?"

"When he grabbed my arm, he grinned at me. I saw his teeth, but two of his teeth look as though they were starting to grow."

Adrian, who continued to stare where the man had fled, gasped quietly and thought, _"My God!"_

Richter turned to the sky. A few stars began to appear. "We should get you to your grandfather's. Some spirits might do you some good."

But before Richter could return to the village, he turned to Adrian. While Adrian was aware of the conversation between Richter and Lindsea, he continued to stare in the direction of where the man had fled. "Adrian?" said Richter.

Finally, Adrian turned. "Yes, Richter?"

"We should get Lindsea to her grandfather's, but are you all right?"

Adrian nodded. "I'm fine, Richter."

"Are you sure? You've been staring off into the distance for the longest time."

Again, Adrian nodded. "I'm fine, Richter. I was just thinking about something."

"What's that?"

"I will tell you later."

* * *

Lindsea's grandfather, Vasile Nica, was the proprietor of Warakyia's inn and tavern, which bore his first name. Naturally, Vasile was thrilled by what Adrian and Richter had done for his 15 year-old granddaughter, and awarded each of them with a free drink. Villagers were beginning to enter the tavern, as their work day had come to an end. But Adrian and Richter sat alone at the bar.

"Adrian," began Richter, before he had a drink of his ale, "what were you thinking about earlier?"

Before Adrian could answer Richter's question, Lindsea interjected, "Father Belmont? Master Tepes?"

Richter turned. "Yes, Lindsea?"

Lindsea, who held a glass of red wine, responded, "I just wanted to thank you again, for what you did for me."

Richter smiled. "Well, you're welcome. Of course, in many respects, we were at the right place at the right time. By the way, are you aware of the incident that happened at Jova only a few days ago?"

"Are you referring to the Marquis woman?"

Richter nodded.

"Yes, I heard about what happened from travelers, who have stayed at the inn. But Jova is a significant distance from Warakyia."

Again, Richter nodded. "That may be true, and I realize that you do not like the whole 'damsel in distress' thing. However, it might be for the best—at least for a while—that you do not walk in the forest alone, or that you are outside the village at night. The Marquis girl was only a year younger than you, and I would not want to hear of the same thing happening to you."

 _"_ _The Marquis girl,"_ thought Adrian. _"And if it was him."_

Lindsea nodded. "I understand, Father Belmont. However, it is hard for me to give up my walks in the forest. Grandpa decided to give me something for my protection."

"What's that?"

"A small pistol."

Richter laughed. "Do you know how to use it?"

Lindsea grinned. "I can learn very quickly."

Richter chuckled. "You're a strong woman, but do be careful."

 _"_ _I agree that she's a strong woman,"_ thought Adrian. _"_ B _ut if I am correct, a pistol will be of little use."_

Lindsea smiled. "Thank you, Father Belmont. By the way, I also wanted to express my gratitude in another way."

"How so?" asked Richter.

"I know that you two have young children, and I thought that maybe if you need someone to look after them for a period of time, maybe I could help you."

"Ah! You mean a 'babysitter'?" Richter said with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess you can say so."

Adrian, who had been silent, smirked. "Can you change diapers?"

Lindsea was stunned. "I, uh…"

Adrian laughed. "Well, I can't say for Richter, but hopefully if Maria and I ask you to look after Sander and Cander, Cander will be out of diapers."

Richter chuckled. "We'll look into the offer, but thank you."

"You're welcome."

Lindsea left the bar area, and Richter and Adrian returned to their drinks. "You know, she really is a strong woman," said Richter.

Adrian nodded. "I agree."

"If she ever marries, it makes me wonder, who will really be the 'head of the household'?"

Adrian chuckled.

Richter took another drink of his ale and added, "In any case, you never did tell me what you were thinking about earlier."

Adrian observed his surroundings. More and more villagers were entering the tavern. "I don't want to tell you here."

"Where will you tell me?"

Adrian rapped his fingers on the bar. "While Maria will probably be mad at me, because I'll be late for supper, I will tell you in your study."


	6. Dialogue of the Past

**Author's Note** : Arguably, it was a good idea that I divided up what I originally had into two chapters. Who knows, maybe I could do a 'sibling rivalry' between Richter and his older siblings?

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter VI**

Richter and Adrian arrived at the Belmont Estate shortly after six in the evening. Richter entered the home first, followed by Adrian.

In the master room, Sidra played with some toys. But when Sidra saw her father, she beamed. "Daddy!"

Richter smiled, as the toddler approached him. He scooped Sidra up, and kissed her cheek. "Hey, baby girl!" Richter held his daughter close.

Sidra giggled, and decided to pull on her father's beard.

"Ouch! Hey, now, Sidra, that hurts."

Sidra, however, continued to giggle.

Richter returned Sidra to the floor, and said, "Daddy doesn't like to have his beard pulled on."

Adrian smiled at the scene. Lysander used to beam, when Adrian came home. But sometime last year, when Lysander was four, those greetings started to stop. Alcander would greet Adrian in a manner similar to Sidra's. But then again, Alcander and Sidra were essentially the same age. Adrian assumed that, within a couple of years, Alcander would be similar to his older brother.

"Sidra's got the right idea," Annette said from the kitchen. "Another Christ or not, I hate that beard. Can't you ask the bishop to make an exception for you?"

"If I did, he'd laugh at me."

Adrian chuckled.

But as Annette entered the master room, she was stunned by Adrian's presence. "Adrian?! Are you here for supper?"

Adrian laughed. "No, Annette, but thank you for the offer. Your sister would make a 'meal out of me,' if I did not eat at home this evening."

Annette chuckled.

"Annette," began Richter, "Adrian and I need to go to the study. You and the children eat first. I will have my dinner sometime later this evening."

"Speaking of your children," added Adrian, "where is Riff?"

"He's in his room," responded Annette. "I was about to call him to dinner. Somehow, I don't think that he will eat too much. He's a bit worn out. I watched Sander and him wrestle with some other boys earlier today."

"Really?"

Annette nodded. "Yes, they wrestled on our lawn. I was worried about Sander, because he's a couple of years younger than the other boys, but he held his own; he's fast."

Adrian laughed. "Yes, he does have speed for his age. By the way, I think that it's really great what Riff is doing for Sander. They may be cousins, and all, by Lysander is still about three to four years younger than Riff."

"I think that Riff sees him more as a younger brother, than a cousin. Maria and I discussed such things with Sidra and Alcander. When they get older, they won't have a similar relationship that Riff and Sander have with other children. So, we have decided to work on that now."

"What do you mean?"

"I hate to interrupt," interjected Richter. "But Adrian and I really need to enter my study."

Adrian turned to Richter and nodded, before he returned to Annette. "I'm sorry, but I do really have an important message to tell Richter, which I said that I would tell him in his study. I'll make sure to ask you what you have planned with Sidra and Cander at another time…or I guess that I could just ask Maria."

Annette nodded. "You can ask Maria, and I don't want to keep you too long. After all, if you're late for supper, Maria will be quite upset."

Adrian smiled. "Quite."

* * *

In the study, Richter built a fire, while Adrian observed the study's contents. The study's bookshelves contained works on the subjects of Theology, Religion, History, and Philosophy. Adrian had observed these works before. However, the study did feature one new feature—a pair of portraits. The portraits contained a young man and a young woman, who appeared to be in their early 20s. The young man was shown to have pale blue eyes and towhead hair, while the young woman was shown to have golden hair and bright blue eyes.

"Richter," began Adrian, as he pointed to the portraits, "who are these two? I don't believe that I saw these two portraits, the last time that I was in your study."

"You didn't," replied Richter, while he finished building the fire. "I found them in the attic, and decided to place them in the study. Those are my parents, Juste and Lydie. I would say that those portraits were made shortly after they were married…and long before I was born."

"I think that you told me once that you were the 'baby of the family.'"

Richter chuckled, while he prepared some wine for him and Adrian. "Adrian, that's understatement."

"Well, just curious, how old were they, when you were born?"

"Much younger than you were, when Lysander and Alcander were born," Richter replied with a smile.

Adrian returned the smile. "Well, I'm sure of that. But I am curious."

Richter handed a glass of wine to Adrian, and gestured for Adrian to sit in the chair that was opposite of his and between an end table. Richter took his seat and added, "I think that Mom and Dad were 42 going on 43, when I was born. Or they may have been 43 already, I'm not sure which."

Adrian's eyes grew wide.

Richter grinned. "Yes, I was definitely the 'baby of the family,' and I don't think that I was expected, but here I am."

Adrian laughed, before he had a sip of wine. "I'm sure that is true with a lot of children."

Richter smiled. "I'm sure."

"On a more serious note," began Adrian, "your father battled my father, did he not?"

"He did."

"When was this?"

"1748, 60 years ago." Richter paused to have a sip of wine. "Of course, they did fight again, and not with the best results."

"Hmm?"

"Dracula returned again, in 1792. He confronted Father and Mother. But at this stage, Father and Mother were both 62—not exactly in their prime." Richter took a sip of wine. "Dracula slayed them."

Adrian rapped his fingers on his wine glass. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. While it's sad, and I try not to think about it, I am sort of happy that they died together. At least, that prevents the sadness of widowhood."

Adrian nodded. "They are buried in the Belmont crypt; are they not?"

Richter nodded. "That they are, in Resurrection Cemetery."

"Do you hear much from your older siblings?"

"Occasionally. As the youngest, I ended up being the one to battle Dracula. Sometimes I think that my eldest brother, Cyril, has some personal jealousy towards me."

"Why is that?"

"There is some fame that comes with defeating Dracula; you are obviously aware of that?"

Adrian nodded. "I am."

"It's a feeling of pride that I have to keep myself from becoming to egotistical about. I remind myself everyday that I am just a 'humble servant of the Lord.'"

Again, Adrian nodded.

"But Cyril, as the eldest of Juste and Lydie Belmont's children, I think, sometimes, has a feeling of jealousy that I achieved that fame, and he did not." Richter paused to take a sip of wine. "Of course, Cyril could have journeyed with me, and he decided not to. Perhaps, he was afraid of the risks. In order to achieve the fame of defeating Dracula, one ask to be aware of the risks that are involved—such as being killed."

Once again, Adrian nodded.

Richter paused to take another sip of wine. "In any case, I don't think that we are here to talk about my family or my past. You have something that you want to tell me?"

Adrian took a sip of wine and nodded. "You are aware of how I don't want everyone to know about my personal history?"

"Yes, I am aware."

"Well, I didn't want to tell this story in the tavern, as it involves my personal history."

Richter nodded. "I understand."

Adrian took another sip of wine. "That man I saw today, the one who attacked Lindsea, he looked like someone from my past."

"Long past?"

"Very long past."

"Just how far back in the past are we talking?"

Adrian rapped his fingers on the end table. "1492."

Richter's eyes grew wide.

Adrian smiled. "The year that the Spanish expelled the Jews and the Muslims from Spain. The year that Columbus 'sailed the ocean blue.' 300 years before you fought my father."

Richter gasped. "Wow."

Adrian smirked, but then he became melancholy. "It's also the year that I lost my mother, but that's when the story begins."

Richter nodded.

Adrian took another sip of wine. "I was 13 at the time. Father was a different man as well. I didn't understand it at the time, but Father was talking about reconciling himself to the Church. To receive a blessing that would 'cure him of his condition.'"

"That obviously didn't happen."

"And can you guess the reason why?"

"Your mother?"

Adrian nodded. "Correct. She left the castle for the village that day, the Village of Borgo. She heard of a sick villager and wanted to help." Adrian took a sip of wine. "That was the day that the members of the clergy cornered her, and condemned her for witchcraft."

"And ultimately burned her at the stake?"

"…Yes." Adrian took another sip of wine. "I was crushed, when I received the news, naturally. Father, however, was furious. He attacked the village. The village church was a particular target of his that day."

Richter took a sip of wine. "I can imagine. From what I've been told, when my ancestor, Simon, was in Borgo, a lot of that village was still in ruins. There was no parish church, that's for sure."

"When was this?"

"1698—110 years ago. It's amazing that a village would still basically be in ruins 200 years later. What your father must have done that day must have been horrific. I will say that, when I was in the Village of Borgo, it has certainly improved. There's a village church now."

Adrian nodded.

Richter took another sip of wine. "I know that you told me how your mother told you not to hate humans. I have to tell you that despite what your father did to my parents, to Annette, to Maria, to Riff, and to Sander, I don't hate him."

"Is that based on you being a priest?"

"No, it's based on me being a person. I don't think that your father knew of any other action other than using fear in his mortal life, and theodicy is a tough issue to deal with."

Adrian nodded.

Richter took another sip of wine. "But I interrupted you. Please continue your story."

"After the carnage, a young man appeared at the castle. He was about the same age as me, and from the Village of Borgo. The young man talked about how my mother had cured him from a serious illness, and how the Church was wrong. About how my mother was no witch, but a saint. Certainly, my father and I agreed, and we took this young man into our home with one condition."

"What was that condition?"

"The young man was free to roam the grounds of the castle. However, he was not allowed to leave the castle."

"How come?"

"What if he was a spy?"

Richter laughed. "A spy?! A 13-year-old spy?"

"Adults can be very manipulating, Richter."

Richter nodded. "Fair enough."

Adrian took his final sip of wine and said, "In any case, the man's name was Lyudmil Bogdan, and the man who I saw attack Lindsea Nica looked exactly like him."

Richter stood to finish his glass of wine, and gestured to the glass. "Would you like another one?"

"One more will be fine, and that will be enough."

Richter secured Adrian's empty glass, and began to pour himself and Adrian another glass of wine. "While this man that we saw earlier today may have looked like this Lyudmil that you are talking about, it certainly could not have been him. After all, you are talking about a story that took place in 1492."

"Under normal circumstances, yes, you would be correct, Belmont. But what I'm talking about are not normal circumstances."

Richter handed Adrian his glass, and returned to his seat. "What do you mean?"

"We have to move a little further in history, to the year 1497. Lyudmil and I are now 18. It was springtime, and Lyudmil and I were in the castle courtyard. I remember showing him these white flowers, which were planted by my mother.

"From the courtyard, you could see the Village of Borgo. And I remember Lyudmil observing the village, and expressing a desire to visit it again."

"I suppose that he was homesick," Richter said, before he took a sip of wine.

"I suppose so, but I told Lyudmil that he knew that he couldn't do so. I reminded him of the promise that he made five years ago. He knew of the promise that he had made, but he just kept expressing a desire to visit the village one more time." Adrian paused to have a sip of wine. "I felt pity for Lyudmil, and I wanted to help him…"

"Despite the risks?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, despite the risks—more so to Lyudmil, than to me. I will admit that I wasn't very fond of visiting the village, which took my mother's life—I'm still not fond of it." Adrian paused to take another sip of wine. "But I considered Lyudmil a friend, and I wanted to help him."

"So you went into the village?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, and it turned out to be a mistake."

"What happened?"

"We were attacked by the villagers. When Lyudmil spoke to one of them by name, he was eventually recognized. And then there came references to my mother, or the 'witch,' as they called her." Adrian paused to take a sip of wine. "I wanted to attack them, but I thought that it would not have been for the best. So we fled, to rocks being thrown at us—along with cries to Christ and St. George."

"Did you get out?"

"Yes and no."

"Explain?"

Adrian took a sip of wine. "Lyudmil and I didn't come into the village wearing body armor; we didn't think anything of it. But as we fled, one of the villagers fired a dart gun. The dart, I think, was poisoned, but it struck Lyudmil near his heart."

"A mortal wound?"

Adrian nodded. "But Lyudmil could have survived, if we could have made it back to the castle."

"But what would you have told your father?"

"I would have made up some story. In any case, I couldn't get him back to the castle."

"What happened?"

"Magnus appeared."

"Magnus?"

"One of my father's servants, and an incubus."

Richter's eyes grew wide at the word 'incubus.'

"Magnus informed me that he was to return Lyudmil to the castle for the purposes of torture." Adrian paused to have a sip of wine. "I protested. I informed Magnus that Lyudmil was dying, and that torture was inhumane. Magnus laughed, asked me when he ever was 'humane.'"

Richter nodded.

"Lyudmil kept saying to me faintly about how he didn't want to die like this, and that's when Magnus began to antagonize me."

"Antagonize you?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes. Magnus began to state, 'Why don't you give him a taste of your immortality?'"

"A 'taste of your immortality'?"

"My vampiric blood, which I had at the time."

Richter's eyes grew wide.

Adrian took another sip of wine. "I gave it to him. And after that, I hid myself from the world—only to be awakened a decade or so later by your ancestor, Trevor."

"Did Lyudmil become a vampire?"

Adrian took his final sip of wine. "I don't know for certain, but the man who attacked Vasile's granddaughter looked exactly like Lyudmil Bogdan."


	7. The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note** : As I work on this chapter, I have thought about upcoming future stories. They were brought on by reading a monster story that my friend wrote over a decade ago called _Lysander_ —about Adrian and Maria's eldest son as a young adult. In fact, I almost thought of stopping this story, just so I could work on the other story that I have in mind. But, since this story is halfway complete, I decided that I would finish it first. If you wish, please send me some critical reviews.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter VII**

In the master bedroom of the Tepes home, Adrian observed the evening sky. Clouds were beginning to cover the Moon, but there was still enough moonlight that Adrian did not notice Maria entering the bedroom with an oil lamp.

"The boys are fine," Maria said—expecting that her husband would her something about their children.

Adrian gasped. But when Adrian turned to Maria, he smiled. "That is good."

"Did you enjoy your supper?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, it was very good."

"You would have enjoyed it more, if you would have eaten it, when it was fresh," Maria said, slightly agitated.

Again, Adrian smiled. "All right, I can tell by your attitude that you are not very happy about something. What is going on?"

"…I don't like it, when I prepare dinner, and an important family member is not there to receive it."

"Well, I was with Richter…"

"Couldn't you have told me that?"

"Yes, fair enough, I could have stopped by here first, and told you."

Maria smiled. "That would have made me feel better."

Adrian returned the smile. "I'm sorry." Adrian then hugged Maria, and kissed her, before he added, "You know, before I began my conversation with Richter, I talked briefly to your sister."

"What about?"

"She didn't get a chance to go into the full details, but it was about Cander and Sidra. Is something going on with them?"

Maria sat on the bed. "Annette and I are worried that Cander and Sidra won't have the same type of relationship that Lysander and Riff have. Riff, being the boy who he is, was able to get older children to play with Lysander. Essentially, we don't see either Riff or Sander doing the same thing for Cander and Sidra, when they get older."

Adrian nodded. "Yes, I can see that. When Alcander and Sidra are five, Sander will be eight and Riff will be 11. I would like for Sander to be very similar to Riff, but…"

Maria nodded. "I don't think that he will be. Plus, Sidra's a girl. You know how boys are with girls at that age."

Again, Adrian nodded. "I do."

"Therefore, we want to take them to the park outside the village. A lot of parents take their children there. They can end up playing with children their own age, so they won't be shy, when they go to school."

Adrian turned to the Moon. "That sounds just fine."

"Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"You told me about your conversation with Richter. About the Marquis girl and with what happened with Vasile's granddaughter. Do you really believe that there is a connection?"

Adrian turned to Maria. "I don't know."

* * *

Shortly after breakfast, Adrian left his home for Resurrection Cemetery. At the cemetery gates, Adrian met the cemetery's middle-age caretaker. "Good morning, Andrew."

"Good morning, Master Tepes," Andrew said, while he unlocked the cemetery gates. "I take it that you are here to pay your respects to someone."

Adrian nodded. "Someone in the Belmont crypt, more specifically."

"Well then, you'll have to follow me. I have to unlock the crypt's entrance."

"Very well then."

Resurrection Cemetery had the 'feel' of a country cemetery, as beyond its barriers was the forest and the creatures of the forest. On his walk to the Belmont crypt, Adrian observed the tombstones; some of them were centuries old. Of those who 'rested' in Resurrection Cemetery, Adrian knew very few of them; Maria would have known more. Among those 'resting' in Resurrection Cemetery, whom Adrian did know, was Father Miceadu—a priest who helped him long ago, and who baptized Alcander; his tombstone was shaped like an altar. Another 'resident' of Resurrection Cemetery, who Adrian knew, was Edward Popescu. Edward was a frequent patron at Vasile's Inn, who, while drinking, would recite stories from the Bible, and mimic the gestures of a priest at mass.

While Andrew unlocked the entrance to the Belmont crypt, Adrian observed a pair of signs. One sign read, 'Whether alive or dead, we belong to the Lord.' While the other sign read, 'Though we have returned to dust, we will rise again, just as Jesus Christ promised those who believe in Him.'

"Well, Master Tepes, there you go," Andrew said, as he finished unlocking the entrance to the crypt.

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

The Belmont Family crypt was, in many respects, a chapel. After Richter became a priest, he set up a small altar for the purpose of celebrating mass on All Souls' Day. Behind the crypt's altar was an image of the resurrection. Along the crypt's walls was an icon of St. George and a crucifix.

Eventually, Adrian discovered the tomb that he was looking for—the tomb of Juste and Lydie Belmont. Adrian patted the top of the sealed tomb and said, "I am sorry for what happened."

After Adrian paid his respects to Juste and Lydie Belmont, he prepared to leave the crypt, but one more tomb caught his eye—the tomb of Trevor and Sypha Belmont. Adrian patted the tomb and said, "Trevor, Sypha, it's been a long time."

* * *

The time was shortly after ten in the morning, when Adrian returned home. As Adrian placed his coat on the coat rack, he heard a sharp cry from his eldest son. Lysander's cry was followed by a cry from his younger brother. Adrian smirked, and in his thoughts added, _"Looks like double, double, toil and trouble, are having another one of their sibling rivalries."_ But before Adrian could enter the scene, Maria was already present.

"Lysander," began Maria, "you can let Cander play with your toy soldier. Yes, it's yours, but you can let your little brother play with it for a little while."

Lysander was reluctant, but he handed the toy soldier to his little brother. Alcander beamed once he received it.

Maria smiled, and kissed Lysander's cheek. "That's a good boy, Sander. Now, it's about time for your lessons."

"Mom!"

"Sander," Maria said with a look.

Lysander sighed. "Fine."

Adrian smiled. "Sander?"

Lysander turned with a forlorn look. "Yes?"

Adrian maintained his smile. "How does the idea of 'no lessons' sound to you today?"

Lysander beamed at the question.

Adrian chuckled. "Well, here's what you can do. You can help your father out today, but it's going to be hard work with your hands."

As if Lysander cared. Anything that did not involve 'lessons' was preferable to him. "All right."

"Then get your coat."

"I wanna go too!" interjected Alcander, who placed the toy soldier on the floor, and toddled next to his brother.

Adrian smiled at his youngest. "Sorry, Cander, but you're not quite a big boy yet."

Lysander grinned.

Alcander glared, as he looked at his father with the green eyes of his mother. "I'm a big boy! Mommy says so!"

Maria chuckled, kissed Alcander's cheek, and ran some fingers through his hair.

Adrian kept his smile. "Well, Alcander, you're almost a big boy, but you're not quite there yet."

Alcander gave his father a look. A look that suggested that Alcander wanted to know why he was 'not quite a big boy yet.'

Adrian drew Alcander close, and pointed to his son's waistline. "Big boys don't wear diapers, Alcander."

Alcander, who often looked up to his big brother, gasped at the concept that he was 'not quite a big boy.' Alcander turned to his mother and said, "Mommy, I don't wanna wear a diaper."

Adrian chuckled and turned to Maria. "That'll get him potty trained."

* * *

The father and son job of cleaning the stable was time consuming. After ten minutes of work, Lysander would want to 'take a break' or stop altogether. Adrian informed Lysander that he could, indeed, quit; but, if his chose to do so, his mother would have 'lessons waiting for him.' 'Lessons' were enough to keep Lysander working. When the clock had struck around four o'clock in the afternoon, the father and son job was complete.

"Well, Lysander," began Adrian, "you've done a man's work for the day, and you deserve to celebrate as a man."

Lysander gave his father an inquiring look.

Adrian smiled. "I'm going to take you to Vasile's for a brief amount of time."

"The tavern?!"

Adrian chuckled. "Yes, the tavern."

* * *

As Adrian and Lysander prepared to leave the Tepes property, they were greeted by a familiar face—Adrian's nephew and Lysander's cousin, Christian Belmont, who was often called 'Riff.' Christian beamed; he was happy to be done with another day of school.

"Hi, Riff," said Lysander.

"Hi, Sander, are you done with all your 'annoying lessons' for the day?"

Lysander grinned.

Adrian smiled, and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Sander, didn't have any 'lessons' today, Riff. Today, he did a 'man's work' for the day."

"Yep!" exclaimed Lysander. "And I get to celebrate like a man. Dad's taking me to Vasile's!"

"Oh?" Christian said sadly. "I guess that means that you don't want to play today?"

Lysander looked at his cousin sadly. Lysander had great affection for his cousin; therefore, when Christian became sad, Lysander also became sad.

Adrian sensed the mood, and maintained his smile. "Care to go with us, Christian?"

Christian was stunned. "Really?! But I didn't do a 'man's work' today."

"Nonsense!" said Adrian. "A 'man's work' is not always physical labor. Sometimes, it's 'academic labor.' You worked hard with your mind today; I am certain, Christian. Therefore, you can join us at Vasile's. Your father has taken you there, I'm sure."

"Well, yes."

"So, do you care to join us?"

"Sure!"

* * *

At Vasile's, Adrian ordered three glasses of wine. However, Adrian requested that Lysander's and Christian's drinks be made 'specially'—that is to say, 'watered down.'

With their drinks, Adrian took his charges to the billiard table. Christian, who was taller, was, naturally, a much better shooter, than his younger cousin. Adrian, however, encouraged his son, and informed Christian to 'watch out,' because one day, Lysander might surpass him on the billiard table.

* * *

At five in the evening, Adrian left Vasile's with his son and nephew. Twilight had started, and the lamplighter began to 'light the village.' When the three reach an intersection, Christian departed to make his way to the Belmont Estate.

As father and son approached their home, a gust of wind travelled past them. But the gust seemed to carry a voice. A male voice, which said, "Good evening, Alucard."

Adrian froze.

Lysander stopped as well. "Is somebody talking?"

Adrian said nothing.

Lysander observed his surroundings. "I don't see anybody."

Adrian forced a smile. "It was just the wind." Then Adrian patted his son's shoulder and added, "Why don't you go inside. Tell your mother that I will be inside soon."

Lysander grinned. "You won't be late, like you were last time? I could tell last night that Mom was angry at you."

Adrian chuckled—partially by force, and partially because he did find Lysander's comment amusing. "I don't think that will happen this time."

But as Lysander walked to the Tepes residence, Adrian added in his thoughts, _"At least I hope not."_


	8. Hearing What One Does Not Want to Hear

**Author's Note** : I realize that it has been some time, since I have updated. When I finished this chapter, I thought about making it longer. But, considering that this chapter ends on a 'cliff hanger,' I think that it will work just fine. As always, feel free to give me some critical reviews.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter VIII**

More twilight descended on Warakiya, as Adrian walked into the forest. Soon the rays of the Sun would be gone, and the only available light would be from the Moon, the stars, and the lamplights of the village. Alone in the forest, Adrian wished that he had his sword. However, securing his sword would have resulted in more questions from Lysander, and certainly from Maria.

"Good evening, Alucard," the voice repeated.

Adrian turned, trying to find the voice's owner.

The voice chuckled. "Turning back? Looking at the direction of your home? Thinking about your wife and children? Thinking about your evening meal?"

Adrian glared; and yet, he was nervous. Adrian wished that he was armed.

Again, the voice chuckled. "Now, that's a scary look. But I guess that I must have hit a bit of a 'raw nerve' with you."

"I'm not here to play games with you. Show yourself!"

"Oh, all right. I guess that we can have a 'family reunion.'"

And the voice emerged. A man of about 18 years of age with brown eyes and hair that was 'almost silver'—a type of platinum blonde.

Adrian was stunned.

"Hello, Master Alucard," the young man said with a bow. But after he finished, the young man grinned, which revealed his sharp canines.

"Lyudmil?!"

The young man chuckled. "Yes, that's the name that I was christened with. Of course, I renounced my baptism long ago. How long has it been, since we spoke, Alucard? One hundred years? Two hundred years? Maybe it has been three hundred years?"

Adrian said nothing.

Lyudmil smiled. "The world has certainly changed, has it not? You've married, and had a family. You probably even accepted Baptism, am I right?"

For a moment, Adrian was motionless; but then, he nodded.

Lyudmil chuckled. "I thought as much. Everything that your father would have been opposed to, you have essentially done."

"What my father approves of, or disapproves of, is of no concern to me. He's dead…and you should be too."

"But it was you who gave me this life."

"It's not life. It's a curse."

"But you gave it to me, did you not?"

"…Not by my own choosing."

Lyudmil smirked.

"And look at what you've done," continued Adrian. "You attempted to drain a young woman from this village, and I'm sure that it was you who attacked the Marquis girl in Jova."

"Is that much different from what you used to do?"

Adrian's eyes grew wide.

"Am I right?" Lyudmil asked with a grin.

Adrian said nothing.

"But I remember," continued Lyudmil. "I remember that day in the castle, when you were about…"

"Stop!"

Lyudmil chuckled. "Oh, all right, I'll stop. But I must say that the woman who you're married to is very similar to the girl in question…"

"Enough!"

"Did you tell your wife about such incidents before your wedding day?"

Adrian said nothing.

"I'll take your silence as a 'no.' Perhaps it is time that your wife learn about some of the incidences of your past."

"Don't you even mention my wife," Adrian said with a look that would strike fear among both the living and the dead.

Lyudmil, however, smiled. "Oh, don't worry; I won't mention your wife. In fact, I will consider that our conversation has come to an end. You are free to go home; have your supper; play with your children; and have sex with your wife—oh, sorry, I accidentally messaged her."

Adrian maintained his look.

But Lyudmil took no concern, as he turned and walked away. However, before he left Adrian's presence, Lyudmil said, "As much as you want to kill me, by that look on your face, you know that what I said was true."

Adrian kept his look.

And Lyudmil added, "You are a disgrace to your mother's memory."

* * *

A cool gust of wind passed Adrian, as he entered his home. Nighttime had finally set in. Adrian placed his coat on the coat rack and sighed.

Reluctantly, Adrian entered the dining room, and observed his family. Lysander sat at the table; Alcander sat in his highchair; and Maria observed the evening meal.

"Daddy!" exclaimed Alcander, as he attempted to stand in his highchair.

Adrian forced himself to smile, while he ran some fingers through Alcander's blonde hair, which appeared slightly different somehow.

"Is Dad on time, Mom?" Lysander asked with a smirk.

Despite his present temperament, Lysander's comment made Adrian grin.

Maria smiled, and ran some fingers through Lysander's hair. "Yes, Sander, he's on time." Maria maintained her smile, and turned to Adrian. "Thankfully."

Despite his wife's cheerfulness, Adrian was melancholy.

And Maria was quick to notice. "Is something wrong, Adrian? You seem sad."

Adrian sighed. "I'm sorry, Maria, but I'm not hungry."

"What do you mean?" asked Maria. "What's going on?"

"Like I said, I'm not hungry. Feed the children and yourself. I'm sure that I will eat something later this evening."


	9. Refusing to Discuss the Past

**Author's Note** : In some respects, I almost wish that I would have added this chapter with the previous chapter. But that's okay. As I worked on this chapter, it was on the 'heels' of the _Castlevania_ animated series on Netflix. My thoughts on the series was that it was good as a whole; however, as a Religious Studies scholar, I wish that the form of Christianity portrayed in the series would have been Orthodoxy, rather than Latin Catholicism—or at least that was my sense, based on the vestments of the priests—as Romania is a predominately Orthodox country. I am also curious to see how Grant is portrayed, and I am hoping that the series might lead to some renewed interest in Castlevania.

Also, in this 'long announcement,' I have to give a 'shout out' to Kitty for her _Lysander_ story, where I took the 'Ladybird' song from. As always, thanks for reading, and please give me some critical feedback.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter IX**

Adrian sat in his study with the door closed and with the oil lamp as the only source of light. Adrian tried to find a book to help with his melancholy, but finding himself unable to eat, he also found himself unable to read. Instead, Adrian rapped his fingers on his study's round table. Lyudmil's words had 'stung him.' _"What Lyudmil said about my mother, I can deal with—even though I didn't particularly care to hear that I'm a 'disgrace' to my mother's memory,"_ thought Adrian. _"No, it was the reference to…"_

Adrian's thoughts were broken by a knock at the door. Adrian gasped, but he was certain whom the knock belonged to—as it did not sound like the knock of a five-year-old or two-year-old. "Yes?"

"May I come in?" responded Maria.

 _"_ _How right I am,"_ thought Adrian. Verbally, however, he added, "Do come in."

Maria entered, and closed the door. She took a chair next to Adrian.

Adrian forced a smile. "Somehow, I thought that you would come to check on me."

Maria returned the smile. "How right you are. I have to know, if you're feeling okay."

Adrian kept his smile, while he twirled a lock of his hair. "How are the boys?"

"Playing." Maria turned to the closed door and smiled. "And thankfully, harmoniously—the two do have a tendency to fight."

Adrian nodded. "Yes, the sibling rivalry."

"On the subject of the boys, I started to notice something different about Alcander today."

"Regarding potty training?"

"Not that," smirked Maria. "But since you brought it up, we're going to need to get Cander a toddler bed. He'll need that for potty training, instead of a crib."

"We have Lysander's toddler bed in storage. In any case, what was it about Cander that you noticed differently?"

"His hair."

Adrian gave her a look. "You know, I noticed that too."

Maria smiled. "He's got some red in his hair. Cander, I think, is going to be auburn blonde or strawberry blonde."

Adrian returned the smile.

Maria giggled. "My little strawberry haired boy, but I have no idea where he gets it from."

"No one in your family had any type of red hair?"

"Not that I know of. What about you?"

"My mother had blonde hair. My father's hair was dark. Maybe dark and light could produce some red?"

Maria smiled.

Adrian rapped his fingers. "My father's mother, however, I believe had fair hair—it might have even been red. Maybe Cander gets the hint of red from there?"

Maria maintained her smile. "In any case, I'll need to bathe them both soon, and get them ready for bed. Tomorrow, Annette and I are taking Cander and Sidra to the park."

"In order for them to play with other children?"

Maria nodded. "Riff and Lysander could go with us too, but I doubt that will happen. Riff will probably want to play with his schoolmates, and Sander will want to 'tag along,' rather than 'play with a bunch of babies.'"

Adrian chuckled.

Maria smiled. "On the subject of Lysander, can you read him a bedtime story?"

Adrian nodded. "Any one in particular?"

Maria pondered over the various stories in the book that she would read to her children. "He hasn't heard 'Mother of the Forrest' in a while. He likes that one."

Adrian chuckled. "Scary story, but it does have a happy ending."

Maria smiled. "He will let me read him bedtime stories, but he won't let me rock him. Sander says how that's for 'babies.'"

Again, Adrian chuckled.

And Maria maintained her smile. "Cander, of course, will let me rock him. I think that I will sing him the 'Ladybird' song."

"The 'Ladybird' song?"

"Yes, I remember you singing it to Lysander, when he was real little. You told me that it came from your mother. Sander won't let me sing it to him anymore, but Cander will."

Adrian rapped his fingers. "I had forgotten that. Yes, the words are:

 _Ladybird, ladybird, ladybird bright,  
what are you doing alone in the night?  
Won't you take shelter from wind and from rain?  
And come out once more, when the Sun shines again?_"

"That's correct."

"Mother used to sing that song to me, when I was little…It also reminds me of a scene in the courtyard."

"The courtyard?"

"The castle courtyard. Mother was working at her garden, which contained these white flowers. I'll always remember those white flowers, because Father sometimes liked to put them in her hair."

Maria smiled.

"I remember how Mother was singing the 'Ladybird' song, but when she saw me, she stopped. I told her how Father was complaining about humans. That's when Mother told me not to hate humans, because sometimes they couldn't help being who they are."

Maria kept her smile. "You know, talking about the things that we have been talking about seems to have made you feel better."

Adrian smiled. "I would say that you are right. Discussing the children often makes me feel good."

Maria placed a hand on Adrian's. "What's troubling you?"

Adrian placed his other hand on Maria's, and told her what he had told Richter the previous evening about Lyudmil and added, "As I was walking home with Lysander from Vasile's, I heard the name 'Alucard.' Obviously, not too many people are going to know that name. That's why I didn't follow Sander into the house.

"I went into the forest, and that's when I encountered Lyudmil. He truly is 'alive,' in the loosest sense of that word. I created a mess long ago, and it's a mess that I'm going to stop. A part of me wanted to go to the Belmont Estate and talk to Richter. But I thought that could wait until morning."

Maria gave him a look. "Is that why you couldn't eat your supper?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, but since you are going to the Belmont Estate tomorrow with the children, I can go with you."

Maria stood, and motioned Adrian to stand with her. "Adrian, I've seen you deal with your father, when Lysander and Riff were taken, and the way that you acted, when you came home this evening, I never saw you act back then."

Adrian gave her a look.

"Is there truly nothing more?" Maria asked, while she massaged Adrian's knuckles.

"…There is truly nothing more." Adrian turned to the closed door and added, "I think that I will now eat something."

Adrian left Maria in the study, when he departed for the kitchen. But in his thoughts, Adrian added, _"I can't let Maria know the truth."_

Maria, however, was able to pick-up on her husband's body language. Alone in the study, Maria muttered, "You're a bad liar, you know?"


	10. Nighttime and Playtime

**Author's Note** : This is, arguably, the longest chapter that I have written so far. I originally planned to divide what is contained in this chapter into a later chapter, but, in the end, I decided to leave this chapter as it is. In this chapter, I decided to focus on some of the younger characters in the story, since I will be using them for future stories. I must confess that it is hard for me to write about young children, but I did my best. As always, please feel free to give me some critical reviews.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter X**

 _Centuries ago, on a twilight day in Castle Dracula, stood sixteen-year-old Adrian Tepes in the grand hall. Adrian observed a portrait of his mother. Yet, the more Adrian observed the portrait, the angrier he became. Adrian thought of the events that led to his mother's demise, and how he wanted to take out his frustration on the species that created those events. And not only was Adrian angry, but he was also hungry. For the last few days, Adrian had not consumed solid food._

 _But as Adrian contemplated, a specter appeared. "Master Alucard?"_

 _Adrian turned and grinned, which revealed his canines. "Bring forth the wench."_

 _The specter disappeared, but soon reappeared with a teenage girl. She appeared to be about 15-years of age with blonde hair and green eyes, and dressed in purple. Adrian was attracted to her, but he was not hungry for sex._

 _Adrian smiled, and his smile revealed his canines, which frightened the young woman._

 _"_ _Aren't you a cute little wench?" said Adrian._

 _The woman, held by the specter, was too frightened to say anything._

 _Adrian ran a finger up the girl's thigh, coming closer and closer to her 'sacred area.' The girl gasped. Despite her fear, she seemed to like what Adrian did._

 _Adrian smiled. "Yes, you are a pretty girl. And I must say, I find you quite appetizing."_

 _Due to Adrian's previous actions, the young woman returned the smile._

 _"_ _However," continued Adrian with a look, "I do not desire you for sex."_

 _Adrian grabbed the woman from the specter, and bit into her throat. The woman fainted, due to blood loss, in Adrian's grasp, but she was still alive._

 _Adrian returned the woman to the specter. "Deposit the wench outside the castle. Let her have the chance to see, if she can make it home."_

 _The specter nodded, and left the room with the woman._

 _Adrian thought that he was alone in the grand hall, but when he turned, he saw a stunned Lyudmil. Adrian smiled. "I must apologize. You caught me, when I was hungry."_

 _"_ _No need to apologize, Master Alucard," said Lyudmil._

 _Adrian smirked, but his eyes caught a window pane. A mark of fresh blood was next to his lip._

* * *

Adrian opened his eyes with a gasp and with perspiration. Adrian's surroundings, however, revealed that it was the present age—late February 1808. The time was the early hours of the morning. Maria rested next to him, undisturbed by his dream. The Moon provided some light on her features, and Adrian's eyes grew wide. Maria's features were very similar to the young woman in the dream—a dream which Adrian knew was a historical event. _"I cannot let her know,"_ thought Adrian, as he placed his head against the pillow.

* * *

The time was around eleven in the morning, when Christian Belmont and Lysander Tepes found themselves in the woods outside the Belmont Estate. The destination for the boys was a pair of trees. This pair of trees had branches, which were parallel to each other. To sit on the tree branches was similar to sitting across from one another. As the boys began to climb onto their respected tree branch, a gust of wind blew past them.

"I hope that's a sign that snow's coming," said Christian, as he secured a spot on one of the tree branches.

"Me too," added Lysander, while he secured a spot on the other tree branch. "And I hope that it comes tonight or tomorrow morning."

Christian laughed. "Are you hoping to get out of 'lessons'?"

Lysander smirked.

Christian chuckled. "If there's enough snow, I won't have to go to school on Monday."

Lysander stood on the branch, and placed a hand on the tree for balance. "It's not just lessons. Dad said that we're going to mass tomorrow. Church is boring."

Christian laughed. "It's not that bad."

Lysander smirked. "You're saying that, because your dad's the priest."

Christian shook his head with a grin. "No, no, it's not that. The hymns are nice, and, as Dad says, it's only an hour. I will, however, admit that I'm not fond of Lent, which is coming soon. When Lent comes, Mom won't let us have any candy until Easter."

Lysander returned to a seated position. "Mom's the same way. She's always, 'No candy during Lent.'"

"But at least when Easter comes, there's plenty of candy."

"Yeah, and it takes forever for Easter to arrive!"

Christian laughed. "You know, they say that Lent is only forty days. However, I've added up the days before, from when Lent starts to Holy Thursday, and it's more than forty days."

"Just like I said."

Christian chuckled. "You know, on the subject of church, there are times that I don't see you in church at all. Or, if I do see you, you're with Aunt Maria. I can't remember the last time that Uncle Adrian came to mass."

Lysander stood against the tree and added, "One good thing about Alcander is that he sometimes gets fussy, when Mom tries to get him dressed—particularly on Sundays. I can't blame him though, with the clothes that Mom makes us wear. There are times that he fusses so much with Mom that by the time we'd be ready to leave for church, the mass would be getting ready to start, so we end up not going."

"Sidra's the same way sometimes," Christian said, before he gestured to the Belmont chapel. "Of course, since Our Lady on the Softening of Wicked Hearts is on our estate, well, we end up going."

"Like you could ever get out of going," Lysander said with a grin. "Your dad's the priest."

Christian chuckled. "Well, yeah, that's true."

"Speaking of your dad," Lysander began, while he descended from the tree, "here's an example of him at catechism."

"Let's hear it!"

Trying to make his voice sound like his uncle's, Lysander began, ""'What's a sacrament, Sander?' 'How many sacraments are there, Sander?' 'How many sacraments have you received so far, Sander?' 'Who is God, Sander?' 'Who is Jesus Christ, Sander?' 'Who is the Virgin Mary, Sander?' 'Who are the saints, Sander?' 'What do the saints do for us, Sander?'"

Christian laughed. "That's pretty good." And Christian, mimicking his father added, "'What's the Bible, Riff?' 'What does the word "Bible" mean, Riff?' 'What's a relic, Riff?' 'How many classes of relics are there, Riff?' 'What's a first class relic, Riff?'"

Lysander laughed.

Christian descended from the tree and added, "But from what I've been told, you're actually pretty good at catechism."

"Catechism's not hard; it's just boring, and I hate going." Lysander paused to turn to the forest. "Not only does Mom make me do lessons, but she also makes me go to catechism classes."

"Well, I guess it's the same for me. Mom and Dad make me go to school, and they also make me take catechism classes. But isn't it fun to learn about Jesus and his twelve apostles?" Christian asked with a grin.

"No," Lysander replied, short and to the point. "It's boring." Lysander turned to the Belmont chapel and added, "One thing that I don't understand is why Dad makes me go. I get why Mom makes me go to catechism classes, but I don't get why Dad makes me go."

"How come?"

"There have been plenty of times before church, when I've watched Cander complain to Mom about getting his diaper changed, or getting dressed, and I'll say something about it to Dad. And Dad always smiles and says, 'That's all right. You were very similar, when you were Cander's age.' It makes me think that Dad doesn't care much for church."

"So why is he making you go to church tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Dad's acting weird."

Christian smiled. "Well, you'll make my dad happy…"

"Hooray for Uncle Richter!"

Christian chuckled. "And I've got a game that we can play."

"What's that?"

"It's called Vampire Hunter."

"Vampire Hunter?"

Christian nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, what is it?"

"Well, there's a vampire, and he's being hunted by a vampire hunter. The hunter has to get the vampire, and the vampire has to try and get away."

"All right, that makes sense."

"For this game, I'll be the vampire hunter, and you'll be the vampire."

"Wait a minute! Why do you get to be the vampire hunter, and I get to be the vampire?"

"Because of our last names."

Lysander was confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, my last name is Belmont. Haven't you heard that the Belmont family are legendary vampire hunters?"

"…No."

"Well, we are, according to Dad. Dad says that the legend goes back to the fifteenth century."

Lysander was stunned.

Christian smiled. "In any case, it works out well for the game."

"All right, fine, but why does my last name have to make me automatically the vampire?"

"Well, your last name is 'Tepes.'"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Have you ever heard of 'Dracula'?"

Lysander turned to the ground, before he returned to his cousin. "No."

"Well, he was supposedly a vampire, but his real name was Vlad Tepes."

"What?! Really?!"

Christian nodded. "That's what my dad told me. I asked Dad, if you had any relations to Dracula, and he told me that you are a distant relative to Vlad Tepes, but he questioned the whole vampire legend."

Lysander was stunned. "Wow!"

Christian smiled. "In any case, do you want to play the game? If not, I'm sure that I could take you to the park, where you could play with my sister and your brother."

Lysander shot his cousin a look. "Why would I want to play with a bunch of babies?"

Christian laughed.

From a distance, however, an outsider with dark hair watched the boys. _"How ironic,"_ thought the man. _"A game out of what is, in many respects, reality."_

* * *

Shortly after noon, a gray sky covered Warakiya. Yet, the cold sky could not deflect the attitude in the park. Children played. Some of the children played with their parents, or their parents watched them from a distance.

Approaching the entrance to the park were Annette Belmont and Maria Tepes with a pair of perambulators. The perambulators contained their children. As the two pushed their children through the park's entrance, Maria turned to her sister. In her thoughts, Maria said, _"I know that Richter knows about the whole situation that Adrian told me about last night—even if there was a lot that he didn't tell me, for whatever reason. Ann, however, has said nothing about it. I don't know, if that's because she doesn't know, or if she doesn't want to talk about it. Considering how Ann can be with topics like this, I am just going to assume that Richter did not tell her. It would probably be best, if I do not tell her—unless, I have to."_

"Look at that, Maria!" Annette said with a gesture.

Maria turned to Annette's gesture. "A sandpit?"

"Yes! Do you remember getting in the sandpit, when you were real little?"

"…No."

Annette laughed. "Well, you were real little. You might have even been younger than Sidra and Alcander."

"That would explain why I can't remember."

Annette chuckled. "Well, I can remember climbing into the sandpit with you, and you had such fun."

Maria smiled.

Annette giggled. "But then, for some reason, I decided to put sand in your hair. Mom got real upset at me for doing that."

Maria smirked. "My 'mean big sister.'"

Annette laughed. "In any case, I think that our little ones will enjoy it. Oh, and look!" Annette added with another gesture, "There's a bench nearby where we can sit and watch them."

Annette and Maria parked their perambulators near the bench, while they scooped up their children, and carried them to the sandpit. After placing Sidra and Alcander in the sandpit, Annette and Maria returned to the bench.

Before the two could sit down, Annette said, "You were a little late coming to the house today."

Maria smiled, as she sat down. "You can thank Alcander for that."

"How is that?" asked Annette, while she joined her sister.

"He didn't want me to put a diaper on him, and gave me these 'puppy dog eyes,' while I tried to tell him why he needs one. At least though, him not wanting to wear a diaper is the first step to getting him potty trained." Maria giggled. "I have to admit, though, that he looked so cute. Cander, I think, sometimes has the 'natural ability' to make people do his bidding by charming them."

Annette smiled. "Yes, I have to admit that when I've babysat him, he does come across to me as very charming through his gestures. Just imagine how he'll be, as he ages."

Maria returned the smile. "I just hope that we can get him to stop putting things in his mouth."

"I thought that you told me that you were able to get him off of his pacifier and his thumb?"

"We were. After we placed those bitter herbs on his pacifier and his thumb, he has left both of those alone. However, we can't put those bitter herbs on everything. I've watched him chew on blades of grass and other things."

"Well, considering that it's winter time, you don't have to worry about blades of grass too much. Hopefully, it's just a phase."

"I hope so." Maria turned to the ground, before she returned to her sister. "On a different subject, I have noticed that when Sidra is over at our house, she always wants to join in with the boys and their games—and I'm talking about games that are distinctly boy games."

"By 'boys,' are you referring to just Sander and Cander?"

Maria nodded. "Is she like that at home?"

"Well, she doesn't really play much with her big brother, considering their six year age difference. But when Sander and Cander are over, and all of them have to remain inside, they do play. I could see Sidra 'roughing it with the boys,' more than having a 'tea party.'" Annette chuckled. "I guess that she has a bit of a 'tom boy' in her."

Maria chuckled. "We'll see if that continues, as she gets older."

As Maria finished her sentence, two toddlers joined Alcander and Sidra in the sandpit. The first child was a boy with platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The second child was a girl with brown hair and blue eyes. Both children were placed in the sandpit by two young women.

"I recognize those women," said Annette. "But I am having a hard time remembering where."

Maria took notice of the women as well. One of the women had red hair and dark eyes, while the other woman had chestnut hair and blue eyes. Both of the women appeared to be in their early 20s. "Somehow, I think that I have seen them before too. But I don't remember where, either."

After the women placed the children in the sandpit, they made their way in the direction of Maria and Annette. "Well, hello!" said the woman with the red hair.

"Yes, hello!" added the woman with the chestnut hair. "It has been a while, since we have seen each other."

"Forgive me," began Maria, "but I was talking to my sister about you. We know that we have seen you two before, but we don't remember where."

The woman with the red hair laughed. "Well, let me introduce ourselves. I'm Charlotte Sage, and this is Valentina Ardelean."

"I don't think that it is necessary for you to introduce yourselves to us," added Valentina. "We remember you."

"Yes," said Charlotte. "Maria Tepes and Annette Belmont."

"Because you said your names, I think that I know your spouses," said Annette.

"Which are?" asked Valentina.

"Let's see…In your case, is it Isaac?"

Valentina chuckled. "Yes, that's correct."

"And yours is Gavin?" added Annette, while she gestured to Charlotte.

Charlotte smiled. "Yes, that's correct."

"Are those are your children?" asked Maria, while she gestured to the sandpit.

"Well, one is mine, and one is hers," answered Charlotte.

Maria smirked. "Well, yes, that would make sense, since of those remaining children, one belongs to me, and one belongs to my sister."

"Oh!" began Valentina, while she returned to the sandpit. "Well, it seems as though our children are enjoying each other's company. Which one is yours?"

"The boy, Alcander is his name."

"And the girl's mine," added Annette. "Her name is Sidra."

"I have to say," began Charlotte, "that when I placed my daughter, Jessica, in the pit, next to your son, he stood out to me."

"Why is that?" asked Maria.

Charlotte pointed to her hair and replied, "His hair—he's got a tint of red in it. Not too many red-heads, you know?"

Maria laughed. "Yes, he's going to be a strawberry blonde boy." Maria turned to the sandpit and added, "He seems to have taken a liking to your daughter."

"Yes, even at the age of two, Jess is pretty good at attracting the boys." Charlotte giggled and added, "On the subject of boys and girls, it seems as though Mrs. Belmont's daughter has taken a liking to your Joshua, Valentina."

Valentina smiled. "Yes, I do think that my boy is a little charmer."

"How old is your son?" asked Annette.

"He's two—the same with Char's daughter. What about your children? How old are they?"

"They are both two," answered Annette. "And I must say that your son has some pretty blue eyes."

Valentina grinned. "Yes, he does. I do wonder about Josh's hair, though. It's so light."

"It'll probably get darker, as he gets older," said Maria. "My elder son, Lysander, his hair was lighter, when he was younger. It's still blonde, but not quite as light, as it was, when he was a baby."

For a moment, there was silence, until Maria added, "Well, we've spent some time talking about our children, but how was it that we originally met?"

"We met at Vasile's," answered Charlotte.

"Yes," added Valentina. "We were at the Christmas gathering back in December. And we also met on St. Andrew's Feast Day, and on the eve of Lent last year."

"Now, I think that I remember that," said Annette. "Did you meet our husbands too?"

Charlotte nodded. "Yes, Richter Belmont and Adrian Tepes. By the way, since Lent is approaching, will you be coming to Vasile's again this year?"

"I would assume so," responded Annette. "It's always good to dance and have fun, since so much of that stops until Easter."

"You know, on the subject of Vasile's," continued Charlotte, "I noticed something interesting the other day, when I was near the tavern with Jessica."

"What's that?"

"Well, there was a man asking about Master Tepes."

"My husband?" said Maria.

Charlotte nodded. "Yes, but it was interesting, because…"

"Sidra!" exclaimed Annette.

The adults turned to the sandpit. Sidra had taken a clump of sand, and placed it in Joshua's hair. Joshua, however, giggled over the incident, and placed a clump of sand in Sidra's hair. Soon, Alcander and Jessica joined in on the 'fun,' by placing sand in their hair, and in the hair of Sidra and Joshua.

Annette, however, charged the sandpit. While the toddlers may have enjoyed their actions, Annette did not. "Sidra!" Annette began, while she lifted her daughter out of the sandpit. "You have been very naughty. You are not supposed to put sand in other people's hair."

Sidra whined and pouted, as Annette brushed the sand out of her hair. The other adults followed Annette, and took their children out of the sandpit. Maria, Charlotte, and Valentina began to brush the sand out of their children's hair. However, they did not share the same attitude that Annette had regarding the incident.

"I'm very sorry," Annette said, as she turned to the other women.

"I wouldn't be too upset about it," said Charlotte. "It's only sand."

"True," added Valentina. "It's not lice."

"Plus," said Maria with a grin, while she brushed the sand out of Alcander's hair, "I wouldn't say that Sidra acted much differently from other children playing with sand, both now and in the past."

While upset by the incident, Annette could not help but smile at her sister's words, because she understood the reference.

"In any case," said Charlotte, while she scooped up Jessica, "I need to get home soon."

"Yes, the same is true for me," added Valentina, as she scooped up Joshua, and placed him on her shoulders. "By the way, Char, you never did finish telling your story about the man asking questions about Master Tepes."

"Oh that! Yes, what made it interesting was that this man kept repeatedly saying Master Tepes's first name wrong. I don't know how one could confuse 'Adrian' with 'Alucard,' but this man certainly did."

Maria and Annette gave each other a look. There are few, if any, people who would know the history of Adrian's name being associated with 'Alucard.'

"Who was this man?" asked Maria.

"I don't know. I had never seen him before." Charlotte turned to the park's entrance and added, "In any case, I do need to—well, I'll be!"

"What?" asked Valentina.

"The man that I was talking about. The one asking about Adrian Tepes."

"Yes, what about him?" asked Maria.

"I am very certain that is him."

"Where?"

"The dark haired man," answered Charlotte. "The one leaning against the large oak tree."

"The one who looks to be in his 40s?"

"Yes, I am certain that is him. But in any case, I need to get going. Do take care!"

"The same with me as well," added Valentina. "I do hope that we can see each other with our children again."

Annette nodded—not trying to show the apprehension that she felt at Charlotte's revelation. "I agree. Do take care, you two!"

As Charlotte and Valentina left the park with their children, Maria continued to look at the man, whom Charlotte had identified. _"Could that be Lyudmil?"_ thought Maria. _"Adrian and Richter told me that vampires can move about during the daytime; however, their powers are significantly weak."_ Verbally, however, Maria said, "Ann, I think that I am going to have a little conversation. Could you please look after my boy?"

"Maria?" began a nervous Annette.

Maria smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It's daytime, and there are people around me. Plus, I've faced much worse. You know that."

Annette nodded. "Do be careful."

* * *

The dark haired man smiled, as Maria approached him. "Good afternoon, madam."

Maria returned the smile. "Good afternoon, sir. I have been told that you have been inquiring about my husband, Adrian Tepes."

"Ah, Alu, er, Adrian Tepes, yes."

Maria smirked. "You were about to say 'Alucard,' were you not?"

The man said nothing.

Maria maintained her smirk. "Not too many people, if any, know of that name associated with my husband. So, I suppose, I should just ask you a question to 'break the ice' a little more."

Again, the man was silent.

"Is your name Lyudmil?"

The man laughed. "Ah, looks as though Alucard has told you a few things. But no, I am not Lyudmil."

"Then who are you?"

"Magnus."

"…You're an incubus?"

Again, Magnus laughed. "Yes, that is correct. What did Alucard tell you about me?"

"He told me that it was you who forced him to give Lyudmil his vampiric blood."

Magnus smirked. "I told him that he could do that, or let Lyudmil die."

"What Lyudmil is, is certainly not life."

Magnus maintained his smirk. "What else did Alucard tell you?"

"Nothing. I know my husband's personal history, but we do not talk about the past. We live in the present age."

"Ah!" Magnus began, as he started to pace around Maria. "Yes, the 'present age.' I can see that Alucard would not want to talk about his past so much. Hearing stories about the girls that he used to feast upon would probably not make good conversation."

Maria shot Magnus a look.

Magnus grinned. "And by 'feast upon,' I am not talking about sex. I am talking about devouring them of their blood."

Maria gasped.

Magnus maintained his grin. "Yes, Alucard did not tell you everything before your marriage. I can remember one such episode. It was long ago, of course, but a young woman was brought into the castle. Alucard feasted upon her blood; yet, he did not kill her—how kind of him. In the end, he had her deposited outside of the castle. Who knows, if she made it home?"

Maria was silent. Yet, in her thoughts, she added, _"I have heard a story like this before. From my childhood, I think."_

"Probably not," continued Magnus. "But in any case, I don't care." Magnus turned to the sky and added, "I do believe that it is time that our conversation comes to an end. Do give Alucard my regards. And please, don't forget to tell him of the story that I have told you. I doubt that he will want to hear it, because you are bound to ask him many questions, but that is not my problem."

Maria was silent, as Magnus walked away. But in her thoughts, _"His story, I have to ask…"_ Maria's thoughts ended, when a hand touched her shoulder. Maria gasped, when she saw her sister.

"Are you all right, Maria? Who was that man? Did he hurt you?"

Maria shook her head. "No." And observing her surroundings, she added, "Where are the children?"

"I let them play in the sandpit again, but who was that man?"

"I can't tell you right now." Maria took a step forward and added, "We need to visit our parents, and we need to take our children and our husbands too."

"Are you suggesting that we spend the evening with Mom and Dad?"

Maria nodded.

"That will be unexpected."

"They'll be glad to see us."

"Richter has to celebrate mass this evening and in the morning."

"He can do both."

Annette sighed. "All right, but we'll need to go to my residence first. If anything, I will go on ahead to Brookline and to Mom and Dad's. They need to know that we are coming."

Maria nodded. "That sounds fine."


	11. Revelation

**Author's Note** : Greetings, everyone! Of all the chapters that I have written so far, I would say that this one has been the most difficult. I struggled, a lot, trying to make this chapter acceptable. I suppose that the reviews that I will, hopefully, receive, will point out how successful, or lack thereof, I was.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter XI**

While Christian and Lysander played in the forest, and Annette and Maria were at the park with their younger children, Richter and Adrian stood near the altar of Our Lady on the Softening of Wicked Hearts, also known as the 'Belmont chapel.' Due to the gray sky, the chapel's interior was dark—with the exception of some 'flickering prayer candles.' Adrian recounted his events from the previous evening with Lyudmil to Richter.

"I see," Richter said, as he ran a finger over his medallion of Christ the Sufferer, once Adrian finished his story.

"I'm responsible for this," Adrian said, while he turned to an icon of the Madonna and Child. "And I have to end it." Adrian returned to Richter and added, "I have to end it, before Lyudmil hurts anyone else. I am certain that it was him, who killed the Marquis girl, and you saw what he tried to do to Lindsea."

Richter nodded. "And I will help you, Adrian. However…I'm not sure what to tell Annette."

"You never told her about any of the events that I described to you a few days ago in your study?"

Richter shook his head. "No. Annette is not one who likes to hear about the matters that we are, or were, discussing. It brings back too many bad memories for her."

Adrian nodded.

"What about you? Did you tell Maria?"

Again, Adrian nodded. "I did. For all we know, Maria might have told Annette."

Richter turned to the crucifix behind the altar. "Somehow, I highly doubt that—unless she feels as though she has to."

"Why is that?"

Richter returned to Adrian. "Because, Maria knows her 'big sister' too well. She knows how upset Annette becomes over hearing things like vampires. When Annette and I married, we were simply hoping to settle down and have a family, and that topics of vampires would simply become things of the past."

Once again, Adrian nodded.

"Maria, I think, is different from her sister in that respect. She might not like hearing topics about vampires, but she can deal with them better."

Adrian smiled.

"Besides, I'm sure that she probably wouldn't want to discuss such matters around Sidra and Cander…or around others at the park."

Adrian nodded.

Richter placed a hand on a bench that was used to help seat those who had trouble standing during mass. "In any case, we know who our target is, this 'Lyudmil' character. What we don't know is how are we going to find him? He obviously must have a hiding place."

Adrian turned to an icon of St. George the Dragon Slayer and replied, "My guess is the castle."

"What makes you think so?"

"Considering where the transformation took place, near the castle and all, I would think that is a good location." Adrian returned to Richter and added, "Besides, there is a crypt inside the castle."

Richter nodded. "Makes sense."

"You stated that you want to help me. Are you willing to go with me to the castle ruins?"

Again, Richter nodded. "I am."

"When should we leave?"

Richter turned to an icon of Christ before Pilate. "Sometime on Monday, the Sabbath begins this evening and continues all day tomorrow. I have to celebrate mass."

"We'll be in church tomorrow."

Richter, stunned by Adrian's words, turned to him. "Really? It's been a while, since you were last in church."

"You can thank my children for that. They don't function well on Sundays."

Richter chuckled. "Using your children as a 'means to an end,' eh, Tepes?"

Adrian grinned. "By the way, Belmont, when do you hear confessions?"

"Now this is quite odd. First, you talk to me about attending church, and now you talk to me about receiving penance. To the best of my knowledge, I don't believe that you have received the Sacrament of Penance, since you received baptism. Is this correct?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes."

"And why is that?"

"Because I haven't done anything wrong."

Richter laughed. "Ah, but you have a pulse. It is nearly impossible for a man not to sin. Of course, one only truly needs to receive penance, when he or she has done something serious to make the grace of God leave his or her soul. Somehow, I doubt that you have done anything like that, but I am always here. Out of curiosity, is your question about penance relating to an event that took place before your baptism?"

"…Yes."

"Well, then there is no reason to receive the sacrament. The Sacrament of Baptism cleanses those sins."

Light entered the chapel, when its doors opened. Adrian and Richter turned to see Brother Martin. Brother Martin bowed before the Eucharist in the tabernacle and made the Sign of the Cross. "Father Belmont," began Brother Martin, as he concluded his adoration, "I am glad to have found you here." And to Adrian, he added, "And Master Tepes, it is good to see you as well."

Adrian nodded with a smile.

"I hope that I am not disturbing you, but I have a couple of young men with me. They are outside the chapel."

"Well, it is chilly outside, so do bring them in," said Richter.

Brother Martin nodded. "I encountered them while I was on a retreat at St. Michael's Monastery outside the Village of Borgo. One of them told me about how he was doing research on vampires in the monastery's library. I suggested that he meet you, but it took a great deal of persuasion to get him to come with me. He's of the Marquis clan, you see."

Richter grinned, and turned to Adrian. "Why do I think that I know who we are going to encounter?"

Adrian returned the grin, and touched the sheath of his sword. "If it's the same man, he's lucky that we are in church."

Brother Martin opened the chapel doors. "Do come in, gentlemen."

Brother Martin stood near the holy water font, as two men entered the chapel. Indeed, the men were known to Richter and Adrian—Cyril and Alexis.

Richter smirked, as he turned to Cyril. "Brother Martin states that you were a bit reluctant to come and visit me."

Cyril returned the smirk. "Let me state, Father Belmont, that those of us in the Marquis family are not amateurs. We have a history of vampire hunting as well; we just may not be as famous as the Belmont family, but that does not take away our ability. But, yes, I did come along, but only through Brother Martin's insistence that I see you, Father Belmont."

Richter nodded.

Cyril turned briefly to his travel companion and added, "For some reason, Alexis here, had no problems wanting to come to the Belmont Estate."

Alexis smiled. "There is nothing wrong with accepting a little extra help on what could be a dangerous mission, Cyril. But let me introduce myself, I am Alexis Bozek. And while I know Brother Martin and Father Belmont, I do not know you, sir," he added with a gesture to Adrian.

"I am Adrian Tepes." Adrian showed his sword's sheath, and added with a gesture to Cyril, "I'm the man who nearly used this sword on your friend."

Brother Martin and Richter chuckled. Alexis, who tried not to laugh, covered his mouth.

"Yes, Cyril can be known for this temper," said Brother Martin. "But do understand, Master Tepes, he's not a bad person."

Cyril, however, merely grinned, as he approached Adrian. "Tepes, you say?"

"Yes."

"Father Belmont's brother-in-law?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, that is correct."

"But that is not all you are, am I right?"

Adrian, confused by the question, replied, "Well, I am the father of two children."

"So Dracula has two grandchildren?"

Richter's, Brother Martin's, and Alexis's eyes grew wide at Cyril's statement. Adrian merely gave him a look. "Excuse me?"

"I may have told Brother Martin that I was researching vampires in St. Michael's library, but I never went into the specifics of what I discovered. While I was in the library, I found the Journal of Trevor Belmont, which was donated to the monastery by Christopher Belmont. In this journal, Trevor Belmont describes how a man named 'Alucard,' whose actual name was Adrian Fahrenheit Tepes, assisted him. This Adrian Tepes, or Alucard, claimed to be the son of Dracula, or Prince Vlad Tepes, and a woman named Lisa Romoff, who was supposedly burned at the stake for witchcraft. As odd as what I am going to say might sound, I believe that you, sir, are the Adrian Tepes that is mentioned in Trevor Belmont's journal."

 _"_ _It's not odd, because it's the truth,"_ thought Richter. _"But I doubt that this Marquis boy could actually make other people aware of that truth, which is fortunate, from Adrian's perspective."_

"Um, Cyril," began Alexis, "I am aware of some of the research that you did, but…"

"You are aware of 'some of it.' That is correct, Alexis. However, there is so much that I did not tell you."

"For the record," began Brother Martin, "I am aware that Master Tepes is a descendant of Vlad Tepes, but to claim that he is literally Vlad Tepes's biological son, and that his two children are literally Vlad Tepes's grandchildren, is, well…"

"Do let me continue." Cyril turned briefly to the icon of Our Lady on the Softening of Wicked Hearts, before he returned to those present. "When I read the information in the Belmont journal, I wanted to look at a biography of Vlad Tepes that was in the monastery. The biography of Vlad Tepes contained no information about him having a wife named Lisa. However, we are all aware that Vlad Tepes's personal history did not end with his biological death, so I investigated a little further. I investigated the years between Dracula's biological death, and Trevor Belmont's campaign against Dracula, and here is what I found.

"In the monastery, there was a book of ballads. One ballad described a story, which took place in the tiny Village of Poenari, which is near Borgo, and near Castle Dracula. This ballad contained a story about a family, whose surname was Romoff. In the ballad, a daughter to a man named John Romoff, returned to the village with her son. The son's name was Adrian. But the ballad adds that Master Romoff declared the child to be the 'demon offspring,' since his daughter had mated with the 'monster of the castle.'"

Adrian said nothing, but he knew the story. _"I remember that event,"_ thought Adrian. _"Mother took me to see her parents; John and Anne were their names. When my maternal grandfather found out how I was produced, we were chased out of the house. I can remember being struck over the head with a large cross. I remember bleeding from that blow."_

* * *

As the 'revelation' was taking place in the Belmont chapel, Maria and Annette were pushing a pair of perambulators from the park. The perambulators contained their sleeping children, and their destination was the Belmont Estate.

A gust of wind placed one of Maria's golden locks near her green eye, which she quickly brushed away. The cool wind, however, seemed to add to Maria's stern face.

"Maria?" asked Annette.

Maria turned. "Yes?"

"Who was that man? How does he know Adrian as 'Alucard'?"

"I'm glad that the children are sleeping…Not that they would understand, really."

"What is going on, Maria?"

"Ann, has Richter told you about a conversation that he had with Adrian a few days ago?"

"You mean in the study?"

Maria nodded.

"Yes, I remember that conversation."

"What did Richter say?"

"He told me that the two had a discussion about the attempted attack on Vasile's granddaughter from some journeyman, who claimed to be from Borgo."

"Did he go into the details about the attack?"

Annette shook her head. "No, not really."

Maria turned to the gray sky, before she returned to her sister. "In fairness, Richter might not have known this, but I am certain that he does now. Last night, Adrian told me about an encounter that he had with a man named Lyudmil. Lyudmil, however, is no longer a man, but a monster. The man, if he can be called that, that I spoke to today is named Magnus—an incubus, a night demon. The attack on Vasile's granddaughter was a vampire attack, and the vampire responsible was Lyudmil. The conversation that I had today confirms what Adrian told me. Although…"

"Yes?"

"There is still one thing that I do not know."

"What is that?"

"There is something that Magnus told me that I think that I have heard before. It's a story from my childhood that I remember Grandma telling."

"Which Grandma?"

"Grandma Balan. It's the reason why I want to visit Mom and Dad's this evening. I want to see, if Mom can remember the story."

* * *

"I can remember you telling me about the ballad from the Village of Poenari," Alexis said, under the shadow of the icon of the transfiguration. "I think that is why you said that you wanted to check the baptismal records of the village."

"Correct! I wanted to visit the village church to try and find the baptismal records. Unfortunately, the baptismal records from that time period have been lost. However, I did discover another piece of interesting information in St. Michael's Monastery.

"In the library, there is a record for a woman named Lisa, who was burned for witchcraft in the Village of Borgo. This 'Lisa' was also associated with Castle Dracula, and based on the ballad that I read, I would have to conclude that this Lisa was the daughter of John Romoff, who had a son named Adrian, who was also called Alucard, who was fathered by Dracula."

"This is all very interesting information," began Brother Martin. "But what makes you think that the Adrian Tepes, who stands before us, is the same man mentioned in Trevor Belmont's journal? Considering that Trevor Belmont's campaign against Dracula was in the early sixteenth century, what you are suggesting is biologically impossible."

"Let me continue on. When I was growing up in Jova, I heard about how a man named Alucard—the same Alucard, who assisted Trevor Belmont in the early sixteenth century—assisted Father Belmont in 1797 at Castle Dracula." Cyril paused to turn to Richter and asked, "Is that true, Father Belmont?"

Richter glanced at Adrian. He wanted to receive some kind of 'signal' from Adrian on how he should answer. Adrian, however, provided no signal with his body language. Therefore, Richter replied, "It's the truth. Alucard, the son of Dracula, saved me from the possession of Shaft—an apostate priest."

Cyril smiled and turned to Brother Martin. "You are correct that what I am suggesting would be biologically impossible. But, obviously, this 'Alucard' is not a normal man. And that brings us up to the present."

Cyril turned to Adrian. "This man marries Father Belmont's sister-in-law. His name is Adrian Tepes. In Trevor Belmont's journal, Adrian/Alucard Tepes is described as moderately tall with blonde hair and brown eyes, which fits the description of the man before us." Cyril looked intently at Adrian and added, "You are that man. You are Alucard, the son of Dracula."

Those present turned to Adrian. But Adrian responded by turning his back to Cyril, and placing his arms behind his back.

 _"_ _I wonder what he's thinking?"_ thought Richter. _"Adrian has always been concerned about his privacy, both for himself and his family. Yet, what Cyril stated is the truth."_

With his back to Cyril, Adrian chuckled. "I will grant that you are a great historian. But," continued Adrian, while he turned to Cyril, "your entire conclusion is based on coincidences. My first name happens to be 'Adrian,' but aren't other people named 'Adrian'? My parents could be 'Vlad' and 'Lisa,' but 'Vlad' and 'Lisa' are common first names."

Cyril smiled. "Well, I do have one more piece of evidence."

Adrian tried to hide his emotions, but he was stunned. "Well, let's hear it?"

Before he answered Adrian's question, Cyril turned to Alexis. "This is something that I did not tell you."

Cyril returned to Adrian and added, "When the two of us were in Borgo, I decided to visit the ruins of the castle alone. It was dusk. I never actually entered the ruins, but I did overhear a conversation between two men. In the conversation, the two men identified themselves as Magnus and Lyudmil."

Adrian's emotions could no longer be hidden; his eyes grew wide. The names 'Magnus' and 'Lyudmil' had only been told to Richter and Maria, and Magnus had only been referenced in the past tense!

Yet, Cyril continued. "The two spoke of observing Alucard with his wife and two young children. But if more proof is needed, they also spoke about how Alucard lives in Warakyia, and the conversation was in the present tense! If what I have stated is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt, then I don't know what is."

Adrian took a deep breath, and patted Cyril on the shoulder. "No more proof is necessary. You are correct."

While the others gasped at the revelation, Cyril smiled. In his thoughts, Richter stated, _"I hope that nothing bad will come from this revelation. I'm not worried about Alexis or Brother Martin. But I am worried about Cyril."_

"However," Adrian began sternly, "the secret of who I am must stay within the walls of this sanctuary. There are those, who would possibly try to harm me or my family, if they knew the truth. And I have no problem killing someone, who will potentially place me and my family in danger."

 _"_ _Well, hopefully, that will keep Cyril from doing something stupid,"_ Richter added in his thoughts.

Those present nodded. However, Cyril asked, "Does anyone else know?"

"My brother-in-law and sister-in-law both know. So does my wife. If I have it my way, my children will never know. After those three, only you, Alexis, and Brother Martin know."

"Do you have the abilities that Trevor Belmont mentioned in his journal?"

"That depends, what did Trevor mention?"

"He stated that you can turn into a bat, to mist, to a wolf."

Adrian laughed. "I surrendered most of those abilities, when I accepted a Christian blessing to remove the traces of my vampiric blood."

"Most of those abilities?" Cyril added with an inquiring eye.

"There are, perhaps, a few abilities that I have left, but I don't need to discuss them. The fact that you know my greatest secret is enough for you."

"Are you immortal?"

Again, Adrian laughed. "For the love of my wife, I gave that up too." Adrian turned to one of the chapel benches and added, "Do have a seat, gentlemen. I have a story to tell. It is one that Father Belmont knows already, but I want those present to know it as well."

Adrian recounted his history with Lyudmil from the past and the present. He also gave a description of Magnus. With his stories concluded, Adrian added, "I told Richter that I suspected Lyudmil had made the castle ruins his hiding place, and based on what Cyril said I am certain of it. Richter and I intend to go to the castle ruins on Monday. Are you willing to come with us?"

"I am," responded Alexis.

"I am too old to accompany you," said Brother Martin. "But I will pray for your safety."

Adrian nodded. "What about you, Cyril?"

Cyril rapped his fingers on the bench. "Personally, speaking, I believe that Alexis and I can handle things on our own. But for the sake of my dear sister, I am willing to work with you."

"I will mention your sister's name in the liturgy of the prayers for the dead this evening," said Richter.

Cyril nodded. "Thank you, Father Belmont."

"The question now is where shall we meet on Monday and what time?"

"Why don't you meet at my cabin?" replied Brother Martin. "I can prepare a small breakfast for you."

Richter nodded. "That's sound fine, Brother Martin. Why don't we meet at your cabin around nine in the morning?"

* * *

An hour later, Cyril, Alexis, and Brother Martin had left the Belmont Estate, and Richter and Adrian stood in the parlor of the Belmont home. The two men discussed the events from earlier, as Christian and Lysander charged into the home.

"Dad?" said Lysander.

"Yes?"

"Mom and Aunt Annette are coming with Cander and Sidra. Mom said that we'll be leaving soon. She said that we're going to Grandma Dymphna and Grandpa Renard's this evening."

Adrian was stunned. "She did, huh?"

Lysander nodded.

"Mom said that we're going to Grandma Dymphna and Grandpa Renard's as well," added Christian.

"Really?" Richter said with a look. "That makes no sense, since I have to celebrate mass this evening."

"Well, that's what Mom said."

"Well, I think that your mother and I are going to have a brief conversation."

"Same with me and my wife," added Adrian.

Christian, however, could care less about the concern of the adults. He turned to his cousin and added, "Sander, I've got a game that we can play at Grandma and Grandpa's. Care to see it?"

"Yeah, sure."

The boys charged to Christian's bedroom, while Richter and Adrian remained in the parlor. The two were still confused.

"Why, all of a sudden, do we need to go to the Renards?" asked Richter.

"Considering that Sander said our wives will be arriving shortly, we can ask them."

* * *

Annette and Maria entered the Belmont home with their respected children in the period between 'wakefulness' and 'sleep.' The two discussed how they wanted to rinse the remaining grains of sand from each child's hair.

"Well," began Adrian, "my eldest informed me that we are going to the Renards this evening."

"My eldest informed me of the same thing as well," added Richter. "But unlike Adrian, I have to celebrate mass in a few hours."

"Yes, I am aware of that," answered Annette. "However, it's not impossible for you to celebrate mass, and then join us at our parents later in the evening."

Richter smirked. "Well, yes, that's true."

"I have to say that I had quite a revelation today."

 _"_ _So did I,"_ thought Adrian with a smirk.

"Maria told me about Magnus and Lyudmil."

Richter and Adrian gave each other a look, before Richter turned to his sister-in-law. "Maria, why did you tell her that?"

"Well, it's not often that one encounters an incubus in the afternoon. I had a little conversation in the park, which I had to tell Ann about, and give the back story."

Richter and Adrian looked at each other with concern, before they returned to their wives. "What happened?" asked Adrian

Maria discussed her conversation with Magnus. However, Maria did not mention the one point in the conversation that troubled her.

"I see," said Adrian.

Maria nodded.

"But what I don't know is, why is it so important that we visit your parents this evening?"

"There is something Magnus told me that relates to a story that I can remember my maternal grandmother telling me, when I was little. But I can't remember the story exactly, and I want to see, if Mom can tell me."

"What was the story about?"

"It had to do with one of our ancestors on the Balan side of the family, but I can't remember it exactly. Except that it involves the castle."

"The castle? You mean Castle Dracula?"

Maria nodded.

"How exactly?"

"I don't remember. That's why I want to ask Mom."

Richter turned to his wife. "Do you know the story, Annette?"

"Not exactly, Grandma used to tell us stories, when we were little. The best person to ask is, arguably, Mom."

Richter turned to the portrait of his family above the fireplace mantel. "Well, I guess that means that we are going to the Renards this evening."


	12. A Glimpse Into the Past

**Author's Note** : Greetings, everyone! It has been way too long, since I have updated this story. However, finding the time to write was sometimes a problem. In this particular chapter, I wish that I had used a more 'Romanian name' for a village, than the one I chose to use in a previous chapter. I also wish that, when I first started writing these stories, I would have known that the actual surname for Dracula is Basarab, as 'Dracula' and 'Tepes' are titles not names. But, in any case, I guess those are minor details. Also, in the scene with Christian and Lysander, I borrowed some ideas from 'Moral Quarrel,' which was found from the _King's Quest_ game on Playstation; and I took some of the question ideas from the _Focus on the Family_ website. Odd that I would go there, but they did provide some good ethical questions for me to use. Finally, in this chapter, I am going to use a term that some, in the modern world, may find offensive, but this term does reflect the socio-context of early nineteenth century Romania. As always, please feel free to give me some 'critical reviews.'

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter XII**

By carriage, the Village of Brookline was about an hour away from the Village of Warakiya. On horseback, one could reach Brookline in about half the time. In terms of its residents, Brookline was a farming community, which had changed little over the centuries.

About an hour before Sunset, a carriage entered the Village of Brookline. Inside the carriage was Annette Belmont and her two children. While Sidra rested her head on her mother's lap, and Annette stroked her daughter's auburn hair, Annette took a moment to observe the surroundings of the village that she had called home as a young girl. The meadows around the village were bare, due to the Winter weather. But Annette knew how the meadows would bloom, when Spring returned.

"Mom?"

Annette turned to her firstborn and smiled. She used her freehand to run her fingers through Christian's brown curls and replied, "Yes, Riff?"

"You first met dad in Brookline, right?"

Annette smiled. "I certainly did."

"How did that happen?"

Annette smirked. "Well, it happened a number of years ago, before you were born, obviously. I was 16, and your father visited the village with a friend."

Christian curled up next to his mother—something that he never would have done, if his friends or Lysander were present, but long carriage rides were tiring. "Who was the friend?"

"Michael was his name. He was originally from Brookline. He and I went to school together." Annette paused to smirk. "You wouldn't remember this, but he was briefly married to your Aunt Maria."

Christian gasped, as he looked at his mother wide-eyed. "Aunt Maria was married before Uncle Adrian?!"

Annette smiled. "That she was."

"What happened?"

"Well, the marriage didn't work out, and Aunt Maria received an ecclesiastical divorce from the bishop."

"What's an eccle-see…how do you say it?"

"'Ecclesiastical.' It's Greek, and it refers to 'church.' In this case, the bishop decided that Aunt Maria needed a divorce from the 'sake of her soul.'"

Christian, not quite understanding the theology that he had just heard, resumed the position next to his mother. "Did they have any children?"

Annette resumed running her fingers through Christian's hair. "No, if they did, you would have met them by now. But, in any case, Michael ended up becoming involved in trade, and that is what led him to Warakiya, where he met your father.

"One evening, after your father had completed his training…"

"His training?"

"The same training that he has you do in the mornings, when you don't have to go to school."

"Oh, you mean with the whip and the sword?"

"Correct! Anyway, Michael was talking about the village where he grew up, and your father expressed a desire to see it. And so they came."

"And then what happened?"

Annette chuckled. "Well, eventually we married, had you and your sister…"

"No, I mean, how did you actually meet?"

"Oh, that! Well, I happened to be outside of Mom and Dad's, your grandma and grandpa's, when Michael came with your father. But our first real encounter was at The Gypsy's Gaze, our local tavern.

"It was the Feast Day of St. Anne, my name day. Your father and Michael came to the tavern. As there was some musicians playing, and as it was my name day, your father asked me for a dance." Annette paused to smile. "I guess that you could say the rest was history."

"Did Grandma and Grandpa like Dad?"

Annette maintained her smile, as the carriage reached her childhood home. "Eventually, they grew to love him." But in her thoughts, Annette added, _"The fact that he rescued me and my little sister from the monster of Wallachia certainly helped his relationship with my parents."_

* * *

The parents of Annette and Maria were of 'peasant stock.' Sebastian, the father, was a tall man and a native of Brookline. As a boy, Sebastian had worked on the farmland—that he would eventually own—as a laborer to the original owners. Eventually, the original owners gave Sebastian a portion of the land to farm and live on, and, after the original owners passed away, Sebastian purchased the remaining farmland from their descendants. Despite being in his late-50s, Sebastian still possessed a 'youthful look'—with his bright green eyes and only a few 'specks of gray' in his chestnut hair.

Dymphna, the mother, was also a native of Brookline. Her father, Anthony, was the village bookbinder. As a young man, Sebastian's employers often sent him to Anthony's shop in order for their records to be bound. It was at Anthony's shop that Sebastian met Dymphna. And it was through Dymphna, that Sebastian learned how to read—an important trait, which she passed on to her two daughters. Despite being in her middle-50s, Dymphna's blonde hair only had a few 'streaks of gray,' and her brown eyes still glowed like 'chestnuts.'

* * *

The arrival of Annette and Maria with their spouses and children was unexpected, but welcomed—as the Belmont and Tepes families had not been to the Renards since the Christmas holiday. Dymphna had prepared some potato soup for herself and Sebastian, but she was able to make sandwiches for her 'unexpected family members.' Richter, however, did not arrive at the Renard residence until around seven in the evening, which was after the others had their evening meal and were relaxing in the parlor with the youngest members of the family. Dymphna informed her son-in-law that she would leave the parlor to fix him a sandwich, but Richter refused. Considering that he—and the members of his family—were 'impromptu guests,' Richter stated that he would enter the pantry and fix his own evening meal.

As Richter sat at the small table in the Renard kitchen with his sandwich, he was joined by his brother-in-law. Richter smirked. "What's this? You don't want to relax with our in-laws?"

Adrian returned the smirk. "They are playing a game with the youngest children. They are trying to see, if Cander and Sidra can guess which portrait is their mother."

"Ah, yes," Richter said, while he had a bite of his sandwich. "They played the same game on Riff and Sander, when they were little."

"Speaking of my young nephew, he apparently learned some of his family history on the way here."

"Oh?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, he learned about how his mother and father got together…and he also learned that his aunt was married to another man."

Richter laughed. "Oh, Michael got brought up in the story! Well, he would. It was through him that I met Annette."

Adrian turned to the kitchen window. "I hope that he is not brought up very often."

Richter took another bite of his sandwich. "Are you jealous, Tepes?"

Adrian turned to him with a look.

Richter smirked. "She would have been yours earlier, if you have 'come along with her,' as she originally wanted you to."

Adrian grinned, and twirled a curl of his long hair.

Richter had another bite of his sandwich and added, "Of course, I'm not sure, if she really loved him."

Adrian gave Richter a look of curiosity.

Richter smiled. "I think that her heart was always set on you. Michael was, if anything, a void that she was trying to fill."

* * *

While Richter and Adrian chatted in the kitchen, and the elder Renards relaxed with their two daughters and youngest grandchildren in the parlor, Lysander Tepes sat at the top of the stairs to listen to the commotion in the parlor. Once he had heard enough, Lysander left the staircase, and entered the bedroom that he would be sharing with his older cousin.

"Can you guess what Grandma and Grandpa are making Cander and Sidra play?" asked Lysander.

Christian, who adjusted the oil lamp, smirked. "Let me guess. They are trying to make them guess which portrait is their mother?"

Lysander returned the smirked. "You guessed it! Not a difficult game to play. It's pretty easy to tell which one Mom is, and which one Aunt Annette is. Cander can't miss that one up."

"His older brother did," Christian said with a grin.

"What?! No!"

Christian chuckled. "It's true. When you were real little, you actually picked my mom, instead of Aunt Maria."

Lysander gasped. "How old was I?"

"I don't know exactly. Younger than Alcander, I think."

"Ah!" Lysander said, as he sat on the bed. "That must have been the reason. I must have been easily confused. Plus, I'm sure that someone tried to confuse me."

"Who would have confused you?"

"Perhaps Aunt Annette, perhaps Grandma."

Christian smirked.

"In any case," continued Lysander, "this game that you showed me at your house earlier today. You showed it to me, but you didn't really talk to me about it."

"My dad gave it to me for my last birthday. The monks at the monastery made it. It's a card game, but it's not a card game that we're used to playing."

"Really?"

Christian nodded. "It's a card game of made up of 'moral questions' that you have to put some 'critical thought' in."

"'Critical thought'?"

"That means that you have to think 'really, really hard.'"

"Oh! I can do that!"

"Well, I certainly hope so." Christian held up one of the game's cards and continued, "Here's how it goes. You read off the 'moral scenario' on the card; then, you write down on a piece of paper how you would answer the question Once both players are done writing, one player will read off his answer, while the other player has his answer turned over. After the other player finishes reading his answer, he has to guess, if the other player agrees with him or not. After that player guesses, he'll take the other player's answer, and see if he's right. If he is, that player wins, and he gets to keep the other player's answer. If he loses, then his answer goes to the other player, who wins. The first to get three wins, wins the game."

Lysander smiled. "Sounds simple enough."

"I'll start with the first question, and then you can have the second one."

"All right."

Christian handed his cousin a piece of paper and a pencil and stated, "Here's the first question: _Your mother or father tells you to pick up your toys. But you're having fun playing, and you don't really want to stop playing. Besides the room is messy enough as it is. What will you do?_ "

Lysander wrote his answer to the question, while Christian wrote his answer. When Lysander finished writing, he placed his piece of paper face down on the floor.

"All right," Christian began, as he finished writing his answer. "Here is how I answered the question. I would pick up my toys. I learned very quickly what happens, if you don't. Sidra found that out as well not too long ago. Mom told her to pick up her toys, and she said 'no.' Then Dad came, and told her to pick up her toys; and, if she didn't, he would spank her. Well, she didn't, and he spanked her. And somehow, I think that you agree with me."

Christian grabbed Lysander's answer, and read it. "Well, it appears as though you do, and you mentioned how something similar happened to Cander."

"Yeah, Cander was playing in the master room, and Dad told him to move his toys into his room. Cander didn't do it, and, after a while, Dad spanked him…And Cander almost never gets spanked."

Christian took Lysander's answer, since he got it correct, and then gave Lysander another one of the cards with the moral questions. "All right, Lysander, read that question."

" _You got in trouble,_ " began Lysander, " _but what actually happened was your brother's or sister's fault. You could respond by hitting—or doing something else—to your brother or sister and actually get away with it, but would you?_ "

Lysander and Christian wrote their answers. When Christian finished, he placed his piece of paper face down on the floor.

"Here's how I answered it," began Lysander. "If Cander got me in trouble, why doesn't he deserve to be punished? Which has happened before, by the way. So, yes, I would do something to him; and I think that you would as well, if Sidra did something to you."

Lysander took his cousin's answer and was stunned. "You wouldn't do anything?!"

Christian shook his head. "No, Sidra's never actually done anything, where she got me in trouble for something that she did. But, even if she did, it would eventually come back to haunt her. Kind of similar to a story that my dad told me about a shepherd boy who cried 'Wolf!' even when there was no wolf. Eventually, the lie came back to haunt him, and it would come back to haunt her. I don't have to do anything."

Lysander said nothing, as Christian took his cousin's answer. Yet, the silence bothered the elder cousin. "Sander, just curious, have you ever hit Alcander before?"

"Well, yeah."

Christian was stunned. "When?"

"Over the head with Bear, when he deserved it."

"Weren't you worried that would hurt him?"

"It's a stuffed animal, so, no. Sure, he whined, but he whines about a lot of things. Plus, I'm sure that Cander would rather get hit with Bear, then get spanked by Mom and Dad."

As Christian took the next question, he added, "You don't care much for your little brother, do you?"

"I care for him about as much as you care for your sister."

"I like my sister, actually. Sure, she annoys me at times, but I do care for her."

Lysander smiled.

"You do feel the same way about your brother, right?"

Lysander maintained his smile, while he turned to the icon of St. Michael casting Satan from Heaven and replied, "Yeah, I suppose so." Lysander returned to his cousin and added, "Well, are you going to read the next question?"

As Christian read the next question, an event took place outside that would have pleased them both. Snow descended from the heavens.

* * *

The parlor in the Renard family home was one that an individual might expect from 'country people': two recliners, a sofa, two small tables with oil lamps, and a hearth. Near the hearth were a pair of portraits—one of Annette, at the age of seven; and the other of Maria, at the age of two. In her recliner, Dymphna sat with her two youngest grandchildren on her lap, and gave each of them a piece of candy. "They were successful, weren't they?" said Dymphna.

Maria smirked, and pointed to her head. "Well, yes, but all one had to do was point out the differences in our hair color."

"Ah, but I remember Sander guessing incorrectly, when he was little…and I think that Riff did too." Dymphna smirked and added, "Of course, we might have confused them." Dymphna turned to Alcander's hair and twirled a lock of it. "On the subject of hair, it looks as though Cander's is starting to turn red."

Before Maria could respond, Richter and Adrian entered the parlor. Their presence caught the attention of Sebastian.

"Care for a game of cards, gentlemen?" asked the elder Renard. "A game of Blackjack sounds fun, don't you agree?"

Richter turned to Adrian and said, "Been a while, since I've played cards."

Adrian nodded. "Yes, it's been a while, since I have too."

Maria watched, as Richter and Adrian followed her father into the dining room, where the three would play cards. Once they left the parlor, Maria returned to her mother. "I never did get to respond back to your comment about Cander's hair, Mom, but yes! Adrian and I talked about it the other day."

Maria ran some fingers through Alcander's hair, while her youngest smiled around his candy. "Cander, I think, is either going to be an auburn blonde or a strawberry blonde boy."

"Not sure where he gets it from. While Sidra does have hair that's auburn, it's pretty brown."

"Adrian and I wondered, if it wasn't from someone on his side of the family."

Dymphna nodded. "In any case, Maria, I understand that you were the one who wanted to bring everyone here this evening?"

"Yes, there was a story that Grandma Balan told me about something that happened with one of our ancestors at Castle Dracula. Do you know it?"

Again, Dymphna nodded. "I know it."

"Would you tell it?"

"Not while the little ones are still up."

"Then after they go to bed?"

"That will be fine."

* * *

Around ten in the evening, the light from the dining room diminished, and Sebastian, Richter, and Adrian re-entered the master room. "I saw you carry Cander and Sidra upstairs," said Sebastian. "I take it that they are sleeping?"

"Yes," replied Dymphna. "When we carried the babies upstairs, they were barely able to keep their eyes open. And once we placed them on the pillows in the crib, they quickly went to sleep."

"What about Riff and Sander?"

"They were still awake, when we took Sidra and Cander to bed," answered Annette. "But, when I went to check on them about half-an-hour ago, they had gone to sleep with the lamp still on, so I helped tuck them in bed."

"You should warn them about that. About leaving the lamp on. It's not safe."

Annette nodded. "I will say something to Riff in the morning. He has been told the importance of turning off the lamp, and should have told Sander."

"Lysander knows about turning off the lamp as well," added Maria.

"In fairness to the boys," interjected Adrian, "maybe they just fell asleep before they could. I'm sure that they were having fun."

Annette chuckled. "Well, they weren't in their bed clothes."

Sebastian smiled. "Well, I don't think that there is any need for a punishment this time, just a warning, perhaps." Sebastian turned to the stairs and added, "In any case, I think that I should join my grandchildren with the 'Sandman.'"

Maria smiled. "You don't want to stay up, and listen to Mom tell us a story, Daddy?"

Sebastian chuckled. "No, I think that I've heard a number of stories, from when you girls were little."

 _"_ _Maybe not this one,"_ thought Maria.

"In any case, I want to get up a little bit early, before I normally do—to check on the livestock before mass. Goodnight, everyone!"

* * *

The Belmonts and Tepeses found themselves on the sofa, near one of the parlor's oil lamps. Dymphna Renard rested in her recliner next to an oil lamp and near the fireplace. As the embers cracked in the fireplace, Dymphna turned to those present. "I think that when I finish this story, I too will go to bed. Maria, just to make certain that I heard you correctly, this was a story that Mother told you about Castle Dracula, correct?"

Maria nodded. "Yes."

Dymphna turned briefly to the fire, before she returned to those present. "My maiden name is Balan, but this relates to my mother's side of the family. My mother's maiden name was Funar, and this is how I remember the story.

"Before the Funars settled in Brookline, they lived in the Village of Saradon, which is about two miles from Castle Dracula."

 _"_ _I remember that place!"_ thought Maria with a grin. _"When I first convinced Adrian to come with me to the Belmont Estate, we passed through that village. I thought that the place was a 'dump.' Hard to believe that I had family who lived there."_

"Mother told me that this story was about an ancestor of hers named Cosmina. I remember seeing a portrait of Cosmina at my grandmother's, but I'm not sure what became of it. I think that my uncle may have received it. From what I do remember of the portrait, I would have to say that Maria looks very similar to Cosmina."

"Out of curiosity," interjected Adrian, "when did this story take place?"

"Late 15th century, I believe."

Adrian nodded. "All right then." But in his thoughts, Adrian added, _"Somehow, I think that I am going to know a portion of this story."_

"As the story goes," continued Dymphna, "Cosmina was picking blackberries in a meadow near the village. She was apparently done, when she encountered a pair of Romanis, gypsies. A father and son, or so it seemed."

 _"_ _There were plenty of Romanis loyal to my father. Although why, I'll never know,"_ thought Adrian. _"Of course, Romanis seem to be loyal to the master that serves them best, even if that master is a 'monster.'"_

"The time was late in the afternoon, as I remember correctly, and the two were asking her about the closest inn. Naturally, there was an inn in the village, and Cosmina saw no danger in leading the two men to it."

Dymphna paused. "That was a big mistake. Cosmina was struck from behind by some type of object. I don't know what it was, but it obviously knocked her out.

"When she came to, she found herself in a dungeon of some sort, and a specter was standing over her."

"A specter?" asked Adrian.

Dymphna nodded. "That's how I heard the story."

"How old was Cosmina?" asked Maria.

"I believe that she was about 15. In any case, the apparition said something about how 'the young master wants to see you.'

"From there, Cosmina was taken to what she described as a 'grand hall,' and before her was a young man of about her own age. Despite her fear, Cosmina found the young man to be very attractive. But the young man revealed himself to be a monster. He bit into Cosmina's neck.

"So the man was a vampire?" asked Richter.

Dymphna nodded. "That is how I would interpret it."

"Did Cosmina ever state what the man looked like?" asked Maria.

Dymphna rapped her fingers. "From what I recall, he had blonde hair. Not much of a description."

Richter, Annette, and Maria briefly turned to Adrian. Adrian, however, did his best to maintain his composure. With a smile, Adrian stated, "Please continue, Dymphna."

"Somehow Cosmina survived, and she found herself outside the castle. All of the villagers from Saradon could identify Castle Dracula at that time. Standing over her was a large hound, possibly a wolf. Yet, ironically, this animal did her no harm."

Richter turned briefly to Adrian, before he said, "How odd, considering many a wolf's nature."

Dymphna nodded. "If anything, the animal seemed to be protecting her. But as she regained her senses, the animal left her, and fled in the direction of the castle.

"By the grace of God, a hermit—who, if I remember correct, was named Brother Damasus—found her, and let her spend the evening at his home. The next day, the hermit accompanied Cosmina back to Saradon, and gave her a crucifix, which we still have in our family. It was when she got home that she told her tale."

"Do you remember the reaction?" asked Richter.

"I believe some of the villagers may have attacked a gypsy camp—trying to find the perpetrators. Chances are those Romani may have been sold into slavery. I really don't know."

Dymphna turned to the fire, before she returned to those present. "How ironic is it that an ancestor of mine spent some time in Castle Dracula, and so did my two daughters."

"Not exactly an event one wants to remember, Mother," said Annette.

Dymphna smiled, and gestured to Adrian. "And even more ironic that my youngest ended up marrying a descendant of Vlad Tepes."

Adrian smiled weakly, but in his thoughts added, _"Well, I guess one could say that."_

But Dymphna looked past her son-in-law to the parlor window. Something caught her attention. "Adrian, could you raise the lamp to the window? I almost think that there is something going on outside."

Adrian held the lamp near the window and smiled. "Why, it's snow! That'll make Sander and Riff happy."

"Snow?!" Dymphna said, as she left her recliner.

Adrian, once again, held the oil lamp up to the window for her to see. Indeed, 'fat flakes of snow' descended to the earth.

Dymphna smirked. "Well, I hope that the storm will pass us by morning, but I'll have to tell Sebastian about it. We might need to take the buggy to church in the morning, instead of walking. In any case, I need to get to bed. Goodnight to all of you."

As Dymphna ascended the stairs, Adrian, Richter, Maria, and Annette remained in the parlor. Adrian observed the portrait of his wife as a young girl and said, "I think that I should turn in too."

Maria smirked. "Since when have you gone to bed so early?"

"I mentioned about going to church in the morning. We can go with your parents."

"Are you afraid that we are going to ask questions?" interjected Annette.

"Ask questions?"

Annette nodded. "About the castle and all—the story with our ancestor."

Adrian said nothing and turned away. But in his thoughts, Adrian said, _"She would say something like that to me. In my nearly six years of marriage to Maria, I don't think that Annette has every truly accepted me."_

"Adrian," began Maria, when she heard enough silence to assume that no one upstairs would be listening in, "were you that man in the castle?"

Adrian sighed, but he could deal with that question coming from Maria. "I was."

"Were you also that large hound?"

"I was."

With the exception of the cracking embers, silence entered the parlor. And with the silence came tension. Adrian could feel it. He turned away from those present and said, "At that time, I was angry at humanity. I was angry over what happened to my mother." Adrian returned to those present and continued, "It wasn't too long after that, that I retreated from the world. Only to be awakened sometime later by your ancestor," Adrian added with a gesture to Richter.

Richter smiled, and that smile helped relieve some of the 'tension' that was in the air. "And then I battled my father," continued Adrian, "and defeated him." Adrian paused to look outside the parlor window and added, "Only to battle him again centuries later."

Silence returned to the parlor, but Adrian turned to the stairs. "In any case, I am tired. As I stated, I intend to attend church in the morning. Goodnight."

* * *

In the guest bedroom that Adrian and Maria shared whenever they visited the Renards, Adrian stood near a table, which held an oil lamp, and observed the snowfall. When Maria entered the bedroom, Adrian turned to her.

"How are the boys?" asked Adrian.

Maria smirked. "I have never known you to retire this early or to sleep standing up."

"I take it that you didn't check on our boys?"

"Our boys are fine. I'm not concerned about them." Maria sat on the bed and added, "I am, however, concerned about you."

Adrian turned briefly to the window, before he returned to his wife. "I am curious as to what your sister said, after I left. I know that your sister has never been completely fond of me. I'm certain that what I said only added to her lack of fondness."

"Actually, Ann said nothing. We know that you would never hurt us, Adrian."

Adrian smiled, and took a seat next to Maria. "That's nice of you to say."

Maria returned the smile, and held her husband's hand. "Did you know the story, before Mom told it?"

"Not exactly, but as she told the story, I did remember it…I take it that Magnus told you that I did such things?"

"He stated that you 'feasted on the blood' of young maidens. And he mentioned one story about how you 'drained a young woman,' but you did not kill her…It was enough to trigger a memory of something that I had heard as a young girl."

Adrian turned to the floor. "Hard to believe that I did something to an ancestor of yours." He returned to Maria and added, "I'm truly sorry."

Maria smiled. "But you also helped that ancestor too."

"Huh?"

"You made certain that she did not die of exposure, did you not?"

Adrian forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess that I did…Something must have triggered my mother's words to me."

Maria maintained a smile, while she twirled a lock of Adrian's hair. "Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"I don't know how I could have. I didn't want to frighten you with something from my long past. I don't want anyone to know, especially the boys."

Maria edged closer to him. "You and Richter are going to fight Lyudmil and Magnus, right?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, we leave Monday—along with a member of the Marquis clan and his friend, Alexis."

"…I'm coming with you."

Adrian's eyes grew wide. "What?!"

Maria nodded. "I'm coming with you. I've been in the face of danger before. You know that."

"Well, yes, but…"

"But what?"

"What about the boys?"

"They can stay here. Mom can help Sander with his lessons, and she can help get Cander potty trained."

Adrian smirked. "I take it that the word 'no' isn't going to work?"

Maria kissed her husband and replied, "You know me all too well."


	13. Confronting the Problem

**Author's Note** : This chapter has certainly been a long time coming. When I last updated this story, it was nearly Christmas. I have had the rough draft of this chapter available since January, but I never had the time to sit down and write on it. For those, who have been enjoying this story, I hope that this chapter was 'worth the wait.'

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter XIII**

The air was clean in the Village of Brookline, as it was draped in white. And while the scenery pleased Christian and Lysander, they were more pleased that the snow reflected no church and no school. Or so they thought.

While the boys played near the Renard home, Adrian and Sebastian stepped outside. The men smiled, but Adrian said, "You need to go inside, and get dressed more properly."

"Get dressed more properly?!" said Lysander.

Adrian nodded with a smirk.

Christian frowned. "Let me guess, we're going to church?"

Sebastian chuckled. "You're a smart one, Christian. Yes, we will be attending mass this morning. Your uncle and I are going to get the horse and buggy ready, and then we'll be getting dressed more properly ourselves."

The boys observed each other in stunned silence. Eventually, Christian said, "Is Dad celebrating mass?"

"I'm sure he is, but in his parish. He left early this morning for Warakiya," replied Sebastian. "We'll be attending our parish in Brookline, and Father Constantine will be celebrating the mass."

As Adrian and Sebastian moved closer to the stable, Lysander called out, "Cander can't be dressed, can he?"

Adrian chuckled. "Oh, he's dressed, and so is Sidra. Your mother told me that she had some trouble diapering him, but that's not a bad thing, considering his age. In any case, you two need to get inside and get dressed for church."

While Adrian and Sebastian left the boys standing in the snow, Lysander sighed. "Church is so boring."

"Well, at least it's only an hour. We can make the best of it."

"An hour that we'll never get back."

Christian chuckled.

* * *

On a cold Sunday morning, before the start of Lent, the Belmont and Tepes families joined the Renards for mass at the Church of St. John Chrysostom. After mass, Maria requested a moment with her mother. The two stood in the church's nave.

"Mom," began Maria, "did you hear of an incident that took place in Jova at the beginning of this month?"

"I believe so. Something to do with a daughter of the Marquis clan."

"Yes, a daughter of the Marquis clan was killed outside of Jova."

"Good Lord!"

Maria nodded. "Indeed. Adrian and Richter are going with a member of the Marquis clan, and a friend of his, to investigate the circumstances behind the young woman's death."

"That's interesting that a member of the Marquis clan would be assisting Richter."

"True, but this is an extraordinary circumstance."

"An extraordinary circumstance?"

Maria came closer to her mother and whispered, "Strigoi."

Dymphna gasped, and made the Sign of the Cross.

Again, Maria nodded. "I've faced such things before, as you are aware."

"Tragically, yes."

"I already told my husband that I am going with him. I feel obligated to."

"Why do you feel obligated to go with Adrian?"

Maria turned to the iconostasis. She knew that she had to tell her mother the truth, but not the entire truth. "I'm worried that those monsters might hurt my boys. Part of the reason why I requested that we visited you last night was to hear of a story that I thought that I had heard before." Maria returned to her mother and added, "About a monster which attacked one of our ancestors. I had that experience happen to me, and it happened to one of my sons."

"And I don't need to be reminded of it."

"Neither do I, but I'm certainly not going to let it happen again."

Dymphna nodded. "I understand, Maria, but on the subject of those boys, who is going to look after them?"

"…Would you?"

"Look after them?"

"Yes, help Lysander with his lessons. Get Alcander potty trained, which I don't think will take too much trouble, since he has already told me how he doesn't want to wear a diaper."

Dymphna chuckled. "It's hard to say 'no,' since the last comment made me laugh."

Maria smiled. "Thank you, Mother. Oh! And, Mother."

"Yes?"

"You mentioned last night how the crucifix that was given to Cosmina is still in our family."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Do you have it?"

"Yes, I received it from my grandfather."

"May I borrow it?"

"Borrow it?"

Maria nodded. "I may need it on this journey."

Dymphna turned to the iconostasis. "Well, considering the circumstances that you are in, yes, you may take it." Dymphna returned to her daughter and added, "It might do you some good."

"Thank you. I realize that it might take you some time to find it, so, if I could leave the boys with you, I could travel home with Adrian, and then come back with some of the boys' belongings."

"All right. I'll take Sander and Cander home with me."

"Thank you."

* * *

The following morning, with snow still on the ground, Adrian and Maria left their home in Warakiya for the Belmont Estate. Maria greeted her sister, niece, and nephew, before she joined her husband in the chapel. Richter was surprised by Maria's presence, but, as Maria stated to her husband, she was going. After a brief mass, the party left the Belmont Estate for Brother Martin's hermitage.

The interior of a Christian hermit's home is small. Brother Martin's master room and bedroom shared the same space. The kitchen, however, was in a separate location, as Brother Martin prepared breakfast for his guests.

"Brother Martin," began Adrian, as he entered the hermitage with Richter and Maria, "I am not for certain, if you have met my wife before, but here she is."

Brother Martin smiled, as he shook Maria's hand. "I have heard of Father Belmont's sister-in-law before, but I do not believe that I have ever seen her. Quite a beautiful lady, I must say."

Maria blushed. "Thank you."

"When I am usually in Warakiya, I am often at the Belmont Estate. Most of my worldly matters are conducted in Jova. I take it that you are here to see your husband off? If so, is Mistress Belmont here as well?"

Maria smiled. "No, Brother, I am here to accompany my husband and brother-in-law."

Brother Martin gasped. "What?!"

Maria chuckled. "I am not some 'damsel in distress,' Brother Martin. I have faced danger before."

"It's true, Brother," said Richter. "She has faced Dracula before."

"And defeated him," added Maria. "I do not fear the journey ahead of me."

Adrian smiled at the conversation, but then stated, "I do not see Cyril and Alexis. Have they arrived?"

"Not yet, but they should…"

A knock on the front door of the hermitage ended Brother Martin's sentence. The old hermit smiled. "Somehow, I think that must be your companions."

Indeed, as Brother Martin opened his front door, Cyril and Alexis were present. "Good morning, you two. Please come in."

"Good morning, Brother Martin," Cyril said, as he entered the hermitage with Alexis. "Cold this morning, but the food that you are preparing smells wonderful."

Cyril and Alexis removed their coats. But as they did so, Cyril noticed Maria. "Who is this?"

"This is my wife, Maria," answered Adrian.

Cyril and Alexis were confused by Maria's presence, and Brother Martin could guess why. "She will be accompanying you."

"What?!" said Cyril.

"Huh?" added Alexis.

Maria chuckled. "You heard the hermit correctly."

Richter smiled. "You will find that my sister-in-law is no stranger to danger." Richter turned to his sister-in-law and added, "Maria, how old were you, when you were first in the ruins that we will be going to?"

"12 but they weren't ruins then." Maria rubbed a thumb over the corpus on the cross that had been given to her ancestor and added, "Nor were they ruins the two other times that I was at that location."

Cyril and Alexis were stunned, but Maria smirked. "You know, gentlemen, there are worse things in the world, than what we are going to face."

"And what's that?" asked Cyril.

"Childbirth."

A chuckle came from those present. Even Cyril, known for his seriousness, had to chuckle at Maria's comment.

"Well, everyone," began Brother Martin, "I believe that we should have breakfast. You'll have quite a journey ahead of you."

* * *

Near dusk, the party arrived at the Village of Ganoria. Looking at the sign for the village, Cyril made the comment, "I have to say, what a stupid name for a village. I've seen this village on a map before, and every time I laugh. I realize the village is pronounced 'Gan-oria,' but every time I see it, I want to say 'Gonorrhea.'"

The party laughed.

"Adrian and I spent the night at this village a number of years ago," said Maria. "And when I saw the name of this village on a map, I remembered thinking the same thing too."

"Makes me wonder, who would come up with such a name?" added Cyril.

"The villagers," replied Richter. "Chances are they wanted to play a joke on some ecclesiastical authority."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, sometimes you have a bishop or priest, who complains about the sexual activity in a particular area. Whether or not the complaint is true, the residents find the actions of the Church official funny, and they decide to name an area in a way that sounds similar to the particular official's charge. In this case, the residents decided to name a village that sounds similar to a sexual disease."

Alexis smirked. "Interesting."

Richter returned the smirk. "It happens quite often. I'm sure that it happens just as often among Catholics, as it does among those who are Orthodox…It's probably true among those who are Protestant as well."

"In any case," added Adrian, "the Sun is setting. Let us make our way to the inn."

* * *

As the wind 'howled' outside Ganoria's inn, Maria curled up next to her husband. "How do you think the boys are?"

"I'm sure that they are fine, but I am a little worried about Sander."

"Why Sander?"

"He's away from his friends. Riff is obviously away, and he doesn't have any friends in Brookline, at least to the best of my knowledge."

"I didn't think about that. But hopefully, we won't be gone too long."

"This isn't a vacation that we are on, you know?"

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

Adrian ran some fingers through his wife's golden locks. "Maria?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you come with me, and leave our boys behind? We could potentially be killed in this."

"…When Magnus confronted me at the park, I felt threatened."

"Threatened?"

Maria nodded. "He didn't say anything to me particularly, but a potential threat to you threatens all of us—you, me, Lysander, and Alcander. Plus, it reminded me of that day—when we got Sander and Riff back from the castle—you told me to leave you behind, and raise Sander to be a man. But, I couldn't leave you behind."

"No, you couldn't," Adrian said with a smile, as he continued to run his fingers through his wife's hair. "And two women and a priest defeated my father."

"A young girl also defeated your father, when she was 12."

"Very true." Adrian placed his hands on Maria's lower back and started to smirk. "You know, all this talk about the past has made me think of something."

"What's that?"

"About six years ago, it was, that you convinced me to come away from the castle ruins."

"That would sound about right. I mentioned earlier how we spent the night in this village, and, obviously, we stayed at this inn."

"I think that we stayed in this very room."

Maria looked at her husband in awe. "What?! Really?!"

Adrian chuckled. "And that's not all."

"What else?"

Adrian grinned. "We made love for the first time."

Maria gasped, and then she giggled.

Adrian smirked. "Do you think that a little bit of sex before all these monsters would be all right?"

"Oh, probably."

* * *

An hour after dawn, the party assembled in the inn's tavern for a light breakfast. After the meal, Maria left to pay the party's fare, while Cyril and Alexis went to secure the party's horses and wagon. Adrian and Richter, however, remained in the tavern with a cup of hot chocolate.

"How long do you think it will be, until we reach the castle ruins?" asked Richter.

Adrian rapped his fingers against his coffee mug. "I hate to say it, but depending on the weather and road conditions, probably near dusk."

Richter took a sip of his hot chocolate. "That's not what I wanted to hear."

"Indeed, but I remember how long it took Maria and I to make the journey from the castle ruins to this village. And we had more light back then too."

"Later in the year?"

"It was near the end of Summer and approaching Fall."

Richter took another drink. "I would prefer not to battle these two individuals at their strongest."

"Which is why we will need to wait until the following day, before we proceed to the ruins."

"Yes. Lydmil and Magnus can be active during the day, but they will not be as strong."

"Then we'll need to find some place to spend the night."

Richter rapped his fingers. "I know of a place where we might be able to stay for free."

"And where is that?"

"The Convent of Sts. Mary and Martha."

"A nunnery?"

Richter nodded. "When I had my first experience at the castle 16 years ago, one of the individuals that I rescued was a sister named Tera. At the time I rescued her, Tera was a novice. But when the previous abbess passed away, Tera was chosen to be her successor, due to her experiences at the castle."

Adrian sipped his hot chocolate. "Would be interesting. Not everyone can say that they spent the night in a convent."

Richter finished his drink. "Spending the night in a convent is quite a bit different from spending the night at an inn. One thing that I do ask is that you try not to engage in sexual relations with so many sisters present," Richter added with a smirk.

"Huh?"

Richter maintained his smirk. "I heard you last night, Tepes. Your room was across from mine. Cyril and Alexis had their rooms across the hall, so I doubt that they heard anything."

Adrian blushed, as he turned to the hallway and the inn's front desk. Maria was receiving the party's receipt.

"Were you trying to increase your brood, Tepes?"

Adrian grinned. "Well, with two boys, it might be nice to have a daughter."


	14. The Final Battle

**Author's Note** : This chapter has obviously been a long time coming. But for those who have been waiting for it, I hope that you enjoy it. Although it is a minor detail, in writing this chapter, I did some research on Orthodox clergy and beards. Apparently, it is not mandatory, or doctrinal, per say, that they have a beard, but it is strongly encouraged—as it is considered 'distancing oneself from the world,' which is something that I may not have mentioned in a previous chapter. In any case, please feel free to send me some critical reviews.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter XIV**

The Convent of Sts. Mary and Martha was a fifteenth century structure. Ironically, the structure was built on an endowment by Vlad Tepes at the request of his first wife, Elisabetta Sigmaringen. The convent was a celebration of the couple's marriage, and Elisabetta's conversion to Orthodoxy from Catholicism. By the time that the party arrived, oil lamps were being lit. But once the introductions were made, the party was given permission by the abbess to spend the night in the convent free of charge. Of course, when it comes to spending a night in a convent, certain rules must apply.

In his lodging, or cell, Adrian adjusted the oil lamp. Maria stood next to him. "I can't believe that the sisters are making us sleep in separate rooms. We're married."

"Well, it's one of the rules. No sexual relations."

"Yes, but we're married!"

Maria chuckled, while she displayed her wedding ring. "I'm well aware of that. But, as Mother Tera said, 'No sexual relations.'"

Adrian sat upright on his bed, and stretched out his legs. "I suppose so."

Maria curled up next to him. "If sex is on your mind, we can always leave and go to a village inn."

"No. To do that would disrupt the entire party, and it's dangerous to leave at night. Besides," Adrian added with a smirk, and a smack on his wife's bottom, "we had our fun last night."

Maria blushed.

Adrian grinned, and relaxed his head against the pillow. "Who knows? Maybe we even increased the size of our brood?"

"I certainly hope not."

Adrian gave her a look. "Don't you want another baby?"

"No."

"A girl, perhaps?"

"Who's to say that if I became pregnant, we'd have a daughter? We might have another boy."

Adrian chuckled.

Maria smiled. "But there is variety in the boys."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I think that Lysander is driven. He strikes me as someone, who will do almost anything to achieve the goal that he wants."

Adrian nodded. "I can agree with that."

"Alcander, I think, is a bit of a charmer." Maria paused to giggle. "The way that he looks at me with those green eyes of his is so cute."

"He received them from you," Adrian said with a smile.

Maria returned the smile. "In any case, though, I don't want anymore. Do you remember how I said that childbirth is worse than monsters?"

"Yes."

"So is pregnancy. You can't eat this; you can't drink that; you can't do this; and on it goes for nine months."

"And what if one is produced?"

"Well, then it will be loved, naturally," Maria said with a smile, before she kissed her husband. "And let us hope for a girl."

Maria turned to the door of her husband's lodging and added, "I should probably leave now. I don't want us to be potentially kicked out of here."

"Well, before you go," Adrian began, while he pulled his wife close and kissed her, "there."

* * *

As the sisters gathered for vespers in the chapel, Adrian became restless. A glass of wine would have been preferable, but after the evening meal, alcohol was forbidden. _"I could never be a monk,"_ thought Adrian. To occupy his time, Adrian decided to secure a book from the library. But as he left his cell, he encountered Alexis.

"Good evening, Master Tepes."

"Good evening, young sir. Are you finding ways to keep yourself from becoming bored?"

Alexis chuckled. "Cyril and I found a chess set in the sitting room. Care to join us?"

"You do realize that only two people can play chess?"

Alexis grinned. "You do have me there. Well, maybe we can find a deck of cards?"

Adrian brushed off Alexis's suggestion with a wave of his hand. "That's all right, Alexis. I think that I'm just going to secure a book from the library, and then return to my 'cell.'"

"Well, all right then. Goodnight, Master Tepes."

"Goodnight, Alexis."

* * *

If there was one difference between the cell of the abbess at Sts. Mary and Martha, and the cell of her sisters, it would be that the abbess's cell contained a small parlor. In this parlor, Richter conversed with the abbess, Tera Ardelean.

"Thank you for allowing us to stay in the convent, Mother Tera."

Mother Tera, dressed in her black habit and gold crucifix, smiled. "You are welcome, Father Belmont. It is wonderful to see you again. I never did tell you how pleased I was, when I heard that you were ordained to the priesthood."

Richter smirked. "My wife isn't always pleased about it."

"Why?"

Richter tugged at his facial hair. "It's the beard."

Mother Tera laughed. "Well, you know, it's not mandatory that you wear one."

"True, it's just traditional—following the example of Christ. I may ask the bishop what he would think, if I shaved my beard—even though I, technically speaking, don't have to."

"You might receive some harassment from your brother priests," Mother Tera said with a smile.

"Or some members of my parish, but I can deal with that."

Again, Mother Tera laughed.

Richter turned to a window in the abbess's cell. The Moon was shining brightly. "Do you have many visitors to the convent?"

"Actually, quite a few—we charge a small feel to travelers. It helps with the upkeep of the convent, but I made an exception for you and Maria."

"And we thank you for that."

"But the same rules still apply."

Richter smiled. "Yes. No sexual relations and alcohol is only to be consumed at meal times…"

"And in a limited quantity."

Richter smirked. "A part of me wants a glass of wine right now."

Mother Tera returned the smirk. "Too bad—the evening meal is over."

Again, Richter smiled. "Do any travelers ever decide to leave the abbey, once they hear the rules?"

"Oh, certainly. They can always continue on to the Village of Poenari, but…"

"Yes?"

"Despite the restrictions, many choose to spend the night in the convent."

"And why is that?"

Mother Tera left her chair, and stood near a window, which was next to an icon of St. Michael the Archangel. "The castle ruins are not too far from here," the abbess said, before she returned to Richter. "I think that there are some individuals, who would rather stay in an abbey, than taking the risks of acts, which might lead to sin."

Richter nodded.

The abbess returned to her chair and added, "I haven't commented on how nice it was to see Maria again. She was just a young girl during our last encounter."

"Twelve, I believe."

"Married, I see?"

Richter nodded.

"Children?"

"Two boys."

Mother Tera smiled. "She seems to have found a good husband…even if he is the son of Dracula."

"Mother?!"

But the abbess maintained her smile. "When you've had an experience like mine, you can see things."

Yet, as Mother Tera completed her sentence, her eyes grew wide. She left her chair, and returned to the window next to the icon of St. Michael the Archangel. "I sense great evil outside my abbey."

* * *

"Not a great variety of literature," muttered Adrian, as he closed the door of his cell. Most of the convent's library contained religious texts, but he did find one piece of non-religious literature—a book of fairy tales derived from the Saxons and Germans in Romania. _"Might discover some good stories to tell Sander and Cander,"_ thought Adrian.

As he read a tale about an intelligent tailor, a voice called, "Good evening, Alucard."

Adrian's eyes grew wide. He recognized the voice. No one was present in his cell, but the voice was certainly Lyudmil's.

 _"Maybe, I'm just hearing things,"_ thought Adrian, as he continued to read.

But the voice continued. "Will you not leave the grounds, or do you intend to feast on the sisters?"

"If you can actually hear me," muttered Adrian, "you can tempt me all you want. But this is sacred ground. You cannot enter."

"You might be on sacred ground, but I highly doubt that a home in the Village of Brookline is on sacred ground."

The 'home in the Village of Brookline' reference forced Adrian to close his book. He secured his family's sword and his cloak—which he hoped could mask his sword—and left the room.

The convent's halls were quiet, save for a few sisters singing hymns. Adrian turned to the convent's entrance. But, before he could move too far, Maria called.

"Where are you going?"

Adrian turned, and he tried to remain calm. "For some fresh air."

"Couldn't you have opened a window?"

"I wanted to stand outside."

"With your sword?" Maria added, as she pointed to its chape.

 _"Damn it," thought Adrian. "I couldn't hide the sword."_ Verbally, however, he replied, "Just wanted to be careful."

"They are out there…aren't they?"

But before Adrian could answer, Richter appeared. Richter wore his coat, and his whip was by his side.

"Richter?" said Maria

Yet, before Richter could respond, the door to Cyril's cell opened. He entered the hallway with Alexis. "The two of us heard commotion in the hallway," began Cyril. "What's going on?"

"I was talking with the abbess," answered Richter. "She sensed evil outside her abbey."

Adrian, who felt that he could no longer hide the truth, said, "Lyudmil called to me from my cell, and I'm certain that Magnus is with him. We may be on sacred ground, but he made a reference to a house in Brookline not being on sacred ground."

Maria gasped.

"That's where my boys are, and that's enough to make me confront him."

"You won't be going alone," said Richter.

"No, you won't," added Maria. "Please wait right here." Maria entered her cell and returned with her coat and the crucifix that was given to her ancestor centuries ago. Maria held the tarnished relic and said, "Those are my boys too, along with my parents."

"I'm going with you as well," said Cyril. "On behalf of my sister."

Alexis stood next to Cyril and added, "I told Cyril that I would accompany him, but I have something, which will benefit all of us." Alexis entered his cell and returned with what appeared to be the covering for a pocket watch.

"What is it?" asked Cyril.

"It's a pyx. It contains the Holy Eucharist. I asked Father Leo for some of the consecrated host after mass."

Richter smirked. "A part of me wonders what his bishop would have thought about that."

"He told me."

"Oh?"

"He stated that despite what Pope Benedict XIV wrote 60 years ago, or what some Western theologian may think or write, things are different in Romania than they are in Western Europe. The bishop agrees."

Richter smiled, and removed a pyx from his pocket. "Our bishop is very similar, as would be the case. Romania is a much different place, than some university in Greece." Richter returned the pyx to his coat pocket, and tugged at the blessed whip—the Vampire Killer. "In any case, I think that we should put an end to this particular situation."

* * *

Lights glowed from the abbey, as Adrian led the party outside. As their feet sunk in the snow, the party waited for a glimpse of their enemies. Instead, they were greeted by a gust of wind.

"They are here," Adrian said, as he unsheathed his sword. "I am certain of it."

"Yes, Alucard," came the voice of Lyudmil. "I am here."

"Then show yourself."

Lyudmil emerged from the shadows and stood in the Moonlight. As he did so, Alexis raised his portion of the Blessed Sacrament. Lyudmil grinned, and displayed his fangs—while one eye focused on the consecrated Host, the other eye focused on Adrian.

"God was not present long ago, on that day, when we went to the Village of Borgo…Or maybe he was, when he sent a mob to attack us."

Lyudmil took a step closer, almost in defiance of the Eucharist. "Perhaps, he also sent a mob on that day to capture and burn a woman, who was born as Lisa Romoff."

Adrian glared. "You will not bring my mother into this."

Lyudmil smirked. "Neither encounter was fair." And with a gesture to the others, he added, "Just like this encounter is not fair—five on one. Why not a fair encounter, Alucard? Just you and I."

Adrian nodded. "Very well."

To the other party members, Adrian turned and said, "Stand back."

But to Maria, who appeared worried, Adrian added, "Pray."

* * *

Another gust of wind passed between the vampire and the man responsible for his beginnings. The stars blinked, while Lyudmil smirked.

"Come, son of Dracula. Strike me with the sword of your mother."

Adrian, with the eyes of a war veteran, lunged at Lyudmil. But Lyudmil swiftly dodged the attack. Adrian tried another attack, and, again, Lydmil dodged.

"You swing your sword like an amateur. Or has being among the realm of men caused you to…"

While Lyudmil talked, Adrian struck. It was only a glancing blow, but it sent Lyudmil into the snow. Adrian stood over his former companion and declared, "I am no amateur."

Yet, as Adrian prepared for the kill, he was struck from behind. Adrian screamed, and dropped his sword.

Maria gasped, as Magnus stood over her husband. His claws, which were like knives, sunk into Adrian's flesh.

"Nor is this a fair fight," said the incubus. As the claws went further into Adrian's flesh, he began to cough. His knees buckled, and Adrian descended into the snow.

"Yes, your body is trying to fight," Magnus whispered into Adrian's ear. "And you have a strong immune system. But the poison that I have inserted into my claws is a powerful one. Your body will eventually give out."

Maria, who watched the scene in horror, could neither move nor scream. Yet, something came over her. Through Maria, the sky brightened. Magnus, surprised by the scene, fled into the shadows, as a gentle ray of light engulfed Adrian. Whatever poison was in him had been removed.

But some of the light also touched Lyudmil, and a change came over him. No longer did he appear as a monster, but as the friend Adrian once knew.

"Ma-Master Alucard, forgive me. I…I was…"

But Magnus, who returned from the shadows, would not let Lyudmil finish. He secured Adrian's fallen sword, and ran his 'companion' threw. The blow pierced Lyudmil's heart. He was dead.

"Damn it!" exclaimed the incubus. "Whatever 'Heavenly power' that bitch of a wife of yours had, broke my spell."

While Adrian did not prefer that his wife was referred to as a 'bitch,' the word 'spell' stood out to him more. "Spell?"

"Yes, he was a mere puppet. A great reward would have come for avenging the loss of the master. Lyudmil was nothing more than a tool."

Adrian looked at Lyudmil. His sword was still in his former companion's chest, and the snow began to turn red around the corpse. "You mean…he wasn't a vampire?"

"Technically speaking, no. Despite what you did long ago, either his willpower fought off the 'cursed blood' that you gave him, or some other force put him in a perpetual state of animation. I merely woke him up, and made him my tool."

Once again, Adrian looked at the body of his former companion. He removed his sword, and turned to Magnus. "Lyudmil was still my friend."

Magnus smirked.

"You will…"

"For my sister!" cried Cyril. And before anyone had a chance to react, Cyril severed Magnus's head with one single blow.

The head of the severed incubus briefly rolled in the snow, while its purple-blood splattering torso fell at the feet of Adrian. Adrian gasped. So did his companions.

Cyril, however, merely turned to Richter, and pointed the blood splattered sword in his direction. "Don't you ever think that the Marquis family are amateur vampire hunters compared to the Belmonts."

Richter said nothing. But with his statement made, Cyril sheathed his sword and returned to the convent. Alexis followed him. In the snow, Maria, Richter, and Adrian remained.

Adrian, still overcome with emotion, turned to his wife. "Maria, what exactly was that? Something came from you. I felt it."

"I…I don't know exactly. But when I saw you fall, I…"

"A gift from God perhaps?" interjected Richter.

"I don't know…"

"I've noticed something about you for quite a while, Maria. I first noticed it in the castle, when you were a young girl. And I think that it has only been molded and shaped by time.

"I expressed this once to your sister. Annette told me that your grandmother once said that you were 'born under a strange star.' However, she didn't tell me what that 'strange star' referred to."

Maria, confused by it all, said, "Ann didn't say which grandmother it was, did she?"

"No."

Maria looked at the cross above the abbey. "I truly don't know. It looks as though I'm going to have to have a talk with my sister." Maria returned to her companions and added, "Shouldn't we get back inside?"

Adrian turned to the corpses. "I need to talk with Richter. If you want to go back inside, you can."

* * *

As a gust of wind brushed past them, Adrian stood next to his brother-in-law. "I could care less about Magnus's remains…"

"They need to be burned…And in an area where, hopefully, travelers won't be going by."

Adrian nodded. "But Lyudmil's remains…He deserves to be buried…And he deserves to have a funeral mass."

"I can certainly celebrate a funeral mass, and I can ask permission from Mother Tera to have his remains placed in the convent's burial ground. Of course, we'll have to wait until the temperature warms up, for them to be buried. Until then, they'll have to be placed in a receiving vault."

"No. Lyudmil shouldn't be buried here. He deserves to be buried in his home village, in Borgo."

"…I doubt that whatever influence that I could use that I could make that happen."

"Why?"

"How am I going to explain to either the parish priest, or the sexton of the parish, how this person, who looks to be in his late teens, was from this parish, when there is no baptismal record of him? You certainly don't want me to explain that he was born in the fifteenth century, do you?"

Adrian rapped his fingers. "He doesn't have to be buried in the churchyard. Perhaps somewhere outside the village?"

"That can be arranged more easily. Of course, it can't happen, until the temperature warms up."

"…Will Mother Tera allow him to be placed in a receiving vault?"

"I can ask her."

"Please do. Also, would you ask her, if Lyudmil could receive a funeral mass in the convent's chapel?"

"I will." Richter turned to the sky and added, "It's cold. I need to return to the abbey, and get the tools to burn Magnus. You should return to the abbey as well."

"I hate to leave the corpse of my friend among the elements."

"Even if Mother Tera would reject to Lyudmil being placed in the receiving vault, or to a mass being celebrated in the convent's chapel, she would not reject to him being placed in a coffin—which all abbeys have. That would be un-Christian of her."

"Then, would you help me carry the corpse to the abbey's entrance?"

"Yes."

* * *

With Mother Tera's permission, the corpse of Lyudmil Bogdan was placed in a coffin and carried into the chapel of Sts. Mary and Martha. Later that evening, Richter and Adrian burned the corpse of Magnus in an area where they hoped travelers would not venture.

The following morning, with the corpse of Magnus still smoldering, Richter was dressed in funeral vestments. The funeral mass would take place before breakfast, and, after the mass, Lyudmil would be placed in the convent's receiving vault. However, Cyril and Alexis informed Richter that they would not be attending. Cyril had avenged his sister, and he felt that there was no reason to attend a mass to the individual that had taken his sister's life—regardless of whether or not this person was under a 'spell.' As for Alexis, he would have attended, but Cyril was his friend, and he did not want him to ride home to Jova alone.

As the two men left the abbey, Richter spoke to Adrian. "It's an odd friendship Cyril and Alexis have."

"How so?"

"The difference in their character, and I hope that the sisters don't hear me, as I say this. One of them is a son of a bitch, while the other is respectful."

Adrian chuckled. "Odd statement from a priest."

Richter smiled. "But it's a true statement."

Adrian grinned.

And Richter maintained his smile. "But I have to give him his due, he is an intelligent son of a bitch. After all, he figured out your secret."

"And he'd better keep it."

"Oh, I think he will."

"What makes you think so?"

"Like I said, he might be a 'son of a bitch,' but he's intelligent."


	15. Epilogue

**Author's Note** : As I started this work over two years ago, it is hard to believe that Castlevania received a slight 'rebirth' with the _Netflix_ series. In any case, let me conclude the story.

 **Fragments of Memories**

 **Chapter XV**

The end of Lent brings Easter, or Pascha, and Romanians often greet each other with the statement, 'Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!' And with Easter, comes the return of Spring and warmer temperatures.

The last Saturday in April was a warm day in the Village of Warakiya, and the Tepes family decided to spend it with an afternoon walk in the meadow near their home. Lysander led the way, while his parents walked behind him, and his mother carried his little brother. But Alcander wanted the free play of his elder brother.

Adrian smiled, and ran some fingers through his younger son's strawberry blonde hair. "He's a big boy. Let him run with his big brother."

Maria returned the smile, and placed Alcander on the ground. Free of his mother's grasp, Alcander ran/toddled to his elder brother.

"Sander," began Maria, "keep an eye on your little brother."

Adrian maintained his smile, while he watched his sons. "Makes me wonder what things Cander will be bringing home from the forest, when he gets older?"

"Hard to say," replied Maria, as she wrapped her arm around her husband's. "He and Sidra play a lot, and she's a bit of a tomboy."

Adrian chuckled.

"By the way, I never got the chance to ask you, but where did you and Richter end up burying Lyudmil?"

"In a meadow, near the Village of Borgo. It was just coming alive with Spring. At the edge of the meadow, there was a tree. The tree was still barren, but I thought that it would be a nice play to bury Lyudmil."

"Did you encounter any problems?"

Adrian shook his head. "No. As you are aware, we secured the services of Slade, the blacksmith. He had assisted with grave digging at Resurrection Cemetery, and he didn't ask too many questions."

Maria nodded.

"With the grave secure, the body was removed from the convent's receiving vault, and taken to its permanent location. Richter recited a prayer for the dead, and the casket was lowered into the earth." Adrian turned to the sky and added, "Of course, I don't know what Lyudmil would have thought of the location."

Maria smiled, and patted her husband's hand. "Well, your heart was in the right place."

* * *

As Adrian and Maria continued to walk behind their children, their eldest climbed a tree branch. Alcander tried to follow his big brother, but he was still too small.

"Can't get up here, can you, Cander?" Lysander asked with a smirk.

Alcander began to whine.

"Sander!" began Maria. "Don't tease him. He's still smaller than you."

Lysander kept his smirk. "But Daddy says he's a big boy."

Adrian smiled.

"Yes," continued Maria, while she placed her youngest on the tree branch next to his elder brother. "He is a big boy, but there are still a lot of things that you can do, and that he can't do just yet."

Lysander turned to his younger brother and grinned. A grin, which seemed to show a sense of superiority.

Adrian, seizing on the moment, approached his two sons. "I wouldn't think that way, Sander. You might be bigger than Alcander now, but he might one day surpass you."

Maria smiled, while Lysander looked at his little brother stunned. The notion that Alcander could surpass him at anything was beyond his comprehension.

* * *

Once again, with their sons leading the way, Adrian and Maria turned to the direction of home. "Maria?" said Adrian

"Yes?"

"Did you ever ask your sister about the statement your grandmother was supposed to have made?"

"You mean about my birth?"

Adrian nodded.

"Ann told me that it came from Grandma Renard, but she didn't know what Grandma was referring to. Obviously, I cannot ask Grandma, so I wrote a letter to my father. Daddy replied about how around the time of my birth, which is near the feast day for the birth of the Virgin, that Grandma mentioned how the stars in the sky seemed to resemble a flower."

"One of the symbols of the Virgin."

Maria nodded. "Correct."

"Maybe you received a gift from the Virgin?"

"Perhaps."

"Maybe others received it as well?"

Adrian's question made Maria turn to her sons, who seemed to find some type of interest at the base of a tree. She smiled. "Perhaps."

Lysander's and Alcander's interest soon took on a sibling rivalry. Each brother claimed to have 'seen the object first,' and each brother wanted to 'give the object to Mommy.'

The scene made Maria chuckle, as she approached her sons. "What are you two fighting over? You don't need to fight. You can both give 'it' to me."

"Fower," answered Alcander, as he and Lysander held a white flower.

"Yeah, and I saw it first," added Lysander.

"Oh, Sander," Maria said with a chuckle. She took the flower from her sons, and gave each one a kiss on the forehead. Then, she showed the flower to Adrian. "Look, Adrian, isn't it beautiful? It's not something that I would expect so early at this time of year."

Adrian smiled, as he took the flower. "I think that you've received two blessings."

Maria returned the smile. "You mean the boys?"

Adrian chuckled. "No, not just them. I think that you've received two blessings—one from the Virgin and one from my mother. When I was young, Mother used to plant flowers in the castle courtyard. They would always be white. Father used to put them in Mother's hair."

Again, Maria smiled.

Adrian returned the smile, while he placed the flower in his wife's hair. And with a kiss, he added, "There."

 **The End**


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